Allergic rhinitis is a local disease: the role of local IgE production, basophils and mast cells

The introduction to this thesis summarizes the literature which indicates that there is a\ndiscrepancy between sensitisation and allergic disease. Two aspects which might play\na role in this discrepancy are the differences between production and funtion of local\nversus systemic lgE and the differences in mast cell and basophil function in the\nblood compared to in the tissues.\nMast cells, basophils and IgE are key players in the allergic inflammation. The aim of\nthe studies described in this thesis was to focus on these differences between local and\nsystemic function of these key factors.\nThe research questions addressed in this thesis are:\nMast cells and basophils seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of\nallergic rhinitis. Do the phenotypes of mast cells and basophilic cells changed by\nallergen provocation in the nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis patients (Chapter 3)?\nThe developmental relationship bet\\veen mast cells and basophils has not yet been\ntotally resolved. What is the relation bet\\veen basophil progenitors, mast cell\nprogenitors, basophils and mast cells in the circulation and in the nasal mucosa\n(Chapter 3)?\nAllergic mucosa inflammation is regulated by the local production and release of\nseveral Th2 cytokines. Which increase in cytokines and chemokines is correlated\nto inflammatory cells and symptomatology of the patient? What is the time line of\nthe various cytokines and chemokines after allergen provocation (Chapter 4)?\nIs it possible to develop a method to detect specific lgE in tissues. Does\nproduction of specific IgE take place locally in the nasal mucosa (Chapter 5)?\nWhere do basophils and mast-cell of allergic