Fc receptors for human, rabbit and pig antibodies on human eosinophils from normal persons and patients with atopic dermatitis

The presence of Fc receptors on eosinophils from normal persons and atopic patients was investigated using a rosetting technique. Normal eosinophils were found to react with pig antibody (32.5% rosettes), rabbit antibody (46,6% rosettes) and human antibody (29.3% rosettes). Eosinophils from atopic dermatitis patients also formed rosettes with these antibodies, but the percentage of rosettes with pig antibody was significantly higher (63,5%; p less than 0.001) than that given by normal eosinophils. A similar result was found with eosinophils from patients with other atopic diseases (asthma and hay fever) suggesting a similar pattern of eosinophil alteration in all atopic patients. On the other hand, eosinophils from patients with non-atopic eczemas did not differ from those of normals.