Clinical significance of plasma PAF acetylhydrolase activity measurements as a biomarker of anaphylaxis: Cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction Platelet-activating factor (PAF) has a direct role as a mediator in the pathogenesis of various disorders with an inflammatory component, including those with allergic aetiology. The peripheral blood concentration of PAF is dynamically regulated by plasma PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH). Previous research suggest that low activity of plasma PAF-AH could be a predictive marker for increased severity of some types of allergic hypersensitivity reactions–especially anaphylaxis. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association between plasma PAF-AH activity and severity in patients with anaphylactic reactions following a wasp or bee sting. Materials and methods The study group of 89 patients was divided into two subgroups depending on the increasing severity of the most severe anaphylactic reaction in the past, which was assessed according to the Müller’s scale. The first subgroup included participants with a history of hypersensitivity reactions up to grade II. The second subgroup consisted of patients who have experienced at least one grade III or IV reactions in the past. A control group of 20 people was established. Plasma PAF-AH activity was measured using a colorimetric method. Results It has been observed that plasma activity of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase was significantly lower in patients with anaphylaxis history compared to the control group with negative atopic history (on average 21.38 nmol/min/ml for the control group, 9.47 nmol/min/ml for the first subgroup and 10.16 nmol/min/ml for the second subgroup, in both cases p < 0.0001). Conclusion The plasma activity of PAF-AH is a promising parameter that can help to distinguish a group of patients not threatened with development of anaphylaxis and not requiring laborious or expensive prophylactic procedures.

Topical application of gemcitabine generates microvesicle particles in human and murine skin

“…Multiple studies have implicated the critical roles of the potent lipid mediator, Platelet‐activating factor (PAF) in mediating the responses of diverse stimuli in disease pathophysiologies, including cancer and cancer therapies. 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 Relevant to cancer therapies, studies, including ours, have demonstrated that therapeutic agents due to their ability to generate free radicals, produce PAF and PAF‐like lipids as a bystander effect. 26 , 27 These PAF lipids via activating a G‐protein coupled, PAF‐receptor (PAFR), expressed on various cell types, modulate their efficacy of therapeutic agents in experimental tumor models, including skin cancer.…”

“…PAF is a potent phospholipid mediator, which plays critical roles in various inflammatory and pathological conditions, including cancer growth. 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 31 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 PAF and other PAF‐like agonists mediate their effects via binding to a seven‐transmembrane G protein‐coupled PAFR, expressed on various cell types, including epidermal keratinocytes. 34 , 35 , 36 Agents possessing pro‐oxidative stressors' ability such as ultraviolet B (UVB), cigarette smoking, and therapeutic agents can generate an exaggerated amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and produce increased levels of PAF and PAF‐like oxidized lipids.…”

WFDC12-overexpressing contributes to the development of atopic dermatitis via accelerating ALOX12/15 metabolism and PAF accumulation

“…PAF-AH is a hydrolase of PAF and inactivates PAF by catalyzing the hydrolysis of acetyl esters at the SN-2 site of PAF [44]. PAF is a pro-inflammatory lipid medium of glycerophosphoric choline expressed in a variety of immune cells, which activates immune cells by binding to receptors and is widely involved in the regulation of various allergic diseases such as asthma and AD [45][46][47]. Therefore, we used ELISA to detect the content of PAF in the skin of the modeled mice.…”

Neuromuscular blocking agent induced hypersensitivity reaction exploration: an update

“…A low PAF acetylhydrolase activity is correlated with increased severity of allergic reactions in humans. [39][40][41] J€ onsson et al 39 showed that IgG-dependent anaphylaxis to NMBAs in humans is preferentially triggered via FcgR-mediated neutrophil activation and associated with the production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). In this study, concentrations of anti-NMBA IgG, markers of FcgR activation, PAF release and neutrophil activation correlated with anaphylaxis severity.…”

“…As PAF concentration is extremely difficult to measure, another marker of interest for this endotype is PAF acetylhydrolase activity, as this enzyme regulates PAF levels. A low PAF acetylhydrolase activity is correlated with increased severity of allergic reactions in humans 39–41 …”