Serum Specific IgE Antibodies Research Articles

Pattern of specific airway response in asthma due to western red cedar (Thuja plicata): relationship with length of exposure and lung function measurements.

In order to investigate the relationship between the pattern of response (immediate, late and dual) to specific bronchial challenge test with plicatic acid or red cedar extract and the clinical features of asthma, 332 patients with asthma induced by western red cedar dust were examined at the time of diagnosis. Specific challenge test induced in thirty-one patients (9.3%) an isolated immediate reaction, in 144 patients (43.4%) an isolated late reaction and in 157 patients (47.3%) a dual reaction. Patients with a dual reaction had a longer period of exposure to red cedar dust between the onset of the respiratory symptoms and the time of the definitive diagnosis, a lower FEF 25-75% and a greater degree of non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness compared to patients with isolated immediate or isolated late reactions; the difference in bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine among the three groups persisted when the values were adjusted for the different baseline value of FEV1. There was no difference in the prevalence of specific serum IgE antibodies to plicatic acid-human serum albumin conjugate among the three groups of patients with different type of response to red cedar. Except for the greater degree of non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness, patients with isolated late reactions were not different from those with isolated immediate reactions in other clinical findings. These findings indicate that a dual reaction in patients with occupational asthma due to simple chemical agents is indicative of a greater severity of disease at diagnosis. The pathogenetic mechanism of various types of asthmatic reaction is unknown and it is likely to be different between isolated immediate and isolated late reactions.

Allergic reactivity and socio-economic level in a tropical environment.

As some factors associated with the tropical environment can modify the expression of atopic disease, various indicators of allergic reactivity were compared between allergic and non-allergic subjects of different socio-economic level in Caracas, Venezuela (Lat. 10 degrees N). The socio-economic levels considered were high (HSEL), medium-high (MSEL) or low (LSEL). As generally found in temperature climates, in the HSEL the total serum IgE levels of allergic patients were significantly greater than those of non-allergic individuals (geometric means of 274 vs 126 IU/ml, respectively), as were also the specific serum IgE antibody levels (55.6 vs 23.8% positive, respectively, for house dust). These results correlated closely with the skin-test reactivity of these subjects (60.3 vs 17.5% positive for house dust). In this group, the degree of intestinal helminthic infection was low (5.6% positive for Ascaris). In contrast, for the MSEL where the degree of parasitic infection was higher (13.0%), the total serum IgE levels were elevated in both allergic and non-allergic subjects (602 vs 363 IU/ml). Similarly, positivity for specific IgE antibody was high, and comparable between allergics and non-allergics of this group (61.5 vs 54.2%), as was also the case for skin-test reactivity (71.9 vs 60.4%). In the LSEL, parasitic infection was prevalent (47.6%), and the total serum IgE levels were markedly elevated, with little difference occurring between allergic and non-allergic individuals (2269 vs 1981 IU/ml). The positivity for specific IgE antibody was high, and effectively independent of the allergic state (75.6 vs 53.7%), but in contrast the skin test reactivity was relatively low (22.0 vs 9.8%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Insoluble and soluble allergens from wheat grain and wheat dust: detection of IgE binding in inhalant and ingestion allergy.

The need for better in vitro testing for wheat allergy particularly involved correlating clinical evidence of Type I hypersensitivity with laboratory detection of specific IgE antibodies in serum. We report here an improvement in this relationship by the use of a modified method for RAST (Radioallergosorbent test), involving nitrocellulose as the solid phase and alkali (or ethanol) for extraction of allergens and treatment of discs. Serum IgE reactions with the full range of wheat grain and dust proteins were studied using this method and the results were related to wheat allergies due to flour ingestion and the inhalation of flour, pollen or grain dust.

Immunological changes after hyposensitization in house-dust-sensitive asthmatic children: a review.

Patients with allergic diseases are characterized by the presence of elevated total serum IgE and specific IgE antibodies against a variety of environmental allergens. To explore the causes for augmented IgE antibody production and the working mechanisms of hyposensitization (HS), a series of studies has been conducted on house-dust-sensitive, newly diagnosed, and hyposensitized asthmatic children and normals. The specific IgE and IgG antibodies were measured by radioallergosorbent test; the lymphoproliferative capability was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation; the allergen-specific suppressor activity was determined by the extent of house-dust-activated, interleukin-2 (IL-2)-expanded lymphocytes to suppress the allergen-induced proliferation of autologous mononuclear cells (MNC); and IL-2 was produced by stimulating MNC with allergen or phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and quantitated by its capability to support the proliferation of mouse IL-2-dependent cytotoxic T-cell line. The results showed: 1) HS was effective in 90% of patients in terms of decreased attacks and medication taken; 2) the patients were defective in suppressor T-cell function for IgE production; 3) HS was able to restore the regulatory T-cell function and increase the production of IgG-blocking antibody; and 4) IL-2 production may be used as an indicator for initiation and discontinuation of HS. Therefore, hyposensitization is an effective and specific treatment for allergic bronchial asthma and can partially correct an immunoregulatory aberration in atopic individuals.

LAV/HTLV-III infection and atopy: serum IgE and specific IgE antibodies to environmental allergens

The incidence of atopic diseases and IgE production was investigated in 69 patients of the AIDS outpatient clinic. In LAV/HTLV-III infected homosexuals there was a trend to lower serum IgE levels and decreased frequency of atopic diseases. The incidence of patients with positive RAST against common environmental allergens was significantly lower in LAV/HTLV-III-infected versus non-infected homosexuals.

Eustachian tube obstruction after intranasal challenge with house dust mite.

Past studies have shown that provocative intranasal pollen challenge in allergic subjects results in signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis, nasal obstruction, and eustachian tube obstruction. The study presented herein extends these observations to challenges with a perennial antigen, house dust mite. Twenty-three adult volunteers with confirmed sensitivity to Dermatophagoides farinae were challenged by intranasal inhalation of antigen in doses that were incremented from 0.5 to 10.0 mg. Eustachian tube function by the nine-step pressure-swallow test and nasal airway resistance by anterior rhinomanometry were evaluated before and after challenge. Twenty-two of the 40 ears showing normal tubal function before challenge were abnormal after challenge. Sixteen of the 23 subjects developed a nasal obstruction after challenge. The median specific serum IgE antibody titer for those individuals responding to the challenge was significantly greater than that of the individuals exhibiting no response. These results show that intranasal challenge with D farinae can provoke immune-mediated nasal obstruction and eustachian tube dysfunction in sensitized subjects.

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON HYPOSENSITIZATION WITH DERMATO-PHAGOIDES PTERONYSSINUS (D.PT.) EXTRACTS PREPARED FROM WHOLE MITE CULTURE AND MITE BODIES

Immunotherapy with inhalant allergen extracts in allergic asthma is still under debate. In order to study its immunological efficacy, 24 asthmatic children sensitive to D.pt. (skin test, specific serum IgE, bronchial provocation test) were given immunotherapy using partially purified and standardized extracts from the whole mite culture (WMC, N=12) or mite bodies (MB, N=12) in a double blind way. Both extracts were characterized by their allergen content and concentrations of the major allergens DP 42 and DP X. The allergen dose during immunotherapy was increased up to each patient's maximum tolerated dose. Before therapy as well as after 6 and 12 months all patients were evaluated by skin titration, bronchial provocation tests, histamine release from washed leukocytes and specific serum IgE and IgG antibodies. Allergen specific bronchial sensitivity was expressed as the allergen concentration necessary for a decrease in FEV1 of 20% (PD20), leukocyte sensitivity as the allergen concentration necessary for 30% histamine release (HR30). The results showed a significant decrease of bronchial sensitivity (p < 0.01) and leukocyte sensitivity (p < 0.01) to D.pt. after 6 and 12 months as well as an increase of specific serum IgG in both, the WMC and the MB group. Skin reactivity to D.pt. tended to decrease in both groups. We conclude from our data, that after 1 year of immunotherapy extracts from both, WMC and MB are effective in inducing immunologic changes and decreasing bronchial sensitivity in D.pt. allergic asthmatic children.

IMMEDIATE TYPE HYPERSENSITIVITY TO OVALBUMIN IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN - A MODEL FOR THE STUDY OF FOOD ALLERGY

Ovalbumin has previously been demonstrated by us to be a major allergen of hen's egg (Folia Allergol.Immunol.Clin. 30, 83 (1983)). In order to determine the value of allergological in vitro methods for the evaluation of food allergy, we studied 26 infants and children (3 months – 12 years) with egg allergy and 10 healthy controls. Serum concentrations of specific IgE and IgG antibodies to ovalbumin were determined utilizing highly sensitive radioinmmunoassays. In addition, washed leukocytes from all patients were incubated with serial dilutions of ovalbumin for allergen induced histamine release. Histamine was assayed by the automated fluorometric technique. Titrated oral provocation tests with ovalbumin (1 mg up to 1 g) were performed in all patients. After oral provocation a typical immediate hypersensitivity reaction (urticaria, asthma, intestinal symptoms) was induced in 17 out of 26 children. Neither the presence of specific serum IgE antibodies to ovalbumin nor a positive histamine release test predicted the clinical relevance of ovalbumin sensitivity. Our data indicate that allergen induced histamine release from leukocytes tends to give a better correlation with the results of provocation tests than specific serum IgE. However, all provocation tests should be performed to confirm a clinically relevant sensitivity to foods.

Evaluation Of Specific Ige Antibody In Clonorchis Sinensis Infection.

Serum IgE level and Clonorchis specific IgE in individuals with Clonorchis sinensis were determined by radioimmunosorbent(RIST) and radioallergosorbent technique(RAST) respectively. Highly significant elevations of serum IgE (P<0.001) and specific IgE antibodies (P<0.01) were observed in area from individuals with clonorchiasis. The mean values of serum IgE in individuals with clonorchiasis and healthy individuals were 2,372 IU/ml and 364 IU/ml respectively and specific IgE antibodies of both groups were 52.0 and 4.4%. A close correlation(r=0.9451) between serum IgE level and specific IgE antibodies were observed and correlation (r=0.6056) between serum IgE and EPG and between specific IgE and EPG(r=0.5693) were also observed.

Serum IgE levels and specific IgE antibodies in house dust mite allergy: predictive value.

Serum IgE levels and specific IgE antibodies in house dust mite allergy: predictive value.

Heterogeneity of grass pollen allergens ( Dactylis glomerata) recognized by IgE antibodies in human patients sera by a new nitrocellulose immunoprint technique

A new nitrocellulose immunoprint technique has been developed to detect specific antigens or/and allergens present among a heterogeneous solution such as a water-soluble crude extract of a grass pollen ( Dactylis glomerata). The antigens are separated by isoelectric focusing (IEF) in an agarose gel and characterized by their isoelectric point (pI). These antigens are transferred and immobilized on a nitrocellulose sheet. They are recognized by the binding of specific antibodies contained in an unfractionated serum to be studied. Finally, the binding of these antibodies is visualized by species- or/and class-specific antibodies themselves labeled by an enzyme or by radioactivity. So one can detect the allergens recognized by the specific serum IgE antibodies and also the other antigens recognized by specific IgG, IgA or IgM antibodies.

Specific serum IgE antibodies to bacterial antigens in allergic lung disease.

A radio-allergosorbent test (RAST) to measure specific IgE antibodies in man to whole bacterial cells of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae was developed to investigate different well-defined lung diseases (chronic bronchitis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), bronchial asthma allergic rhinitis, cystic fibrosis) and also in urticaria as compared with non-atopic blood donors. In addition, total IgE values and skin prick tests were assessed in these patients. The ABPA group gave the highest specific IgE RAST scores to all three bacteria, whilst the chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis groups also gave raised RAST scores with H. influenzae. There was a positive correlation between the patients' Sta. aureus and Str. pneumoniae immediate-type skin reactions and their RAST scores and total serum IgE concentrations, but there was only a low incidence of immediate-type skin test positivity to H. influenzae.

Pollen-induced chemiluminescence: inhibition by serum from allergic individuals

The interaction between pollen grains, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and serum results in the formation of “pollen rosettes” and the production of chemiluminescence (CL). Significantly more CL is produced by cells exposed to pollen and sera from nonallergic individuals compared with sera from allergic individuals. The source of the PMNs, however, has no effect on the CL produced. When IgG is isolated from the sera of allergic individuals and added to the test system, a large CL response is seen that is inhibited by the IgG-depleted fraction. No similar inhibition is produced by the IgG-depleted fraction of sera from nonallergic individuals. The inhibitor of CL in sera from allergic individuals appears to be IgE, since its removal leads to an enhanced CL response. These results suggest that competition for a limited number of binding sites on pollen grains exists between pollen specific IgG and IgE antibodies in serum from allergic patients.

Allergy to castor bean in the Sudan: measurement of serum IgE and specific IgE antibodies.

Allergy to castor bean was diagnosed in thirty-nine dockworkers from Port Sudan, on the basis of rhinitis and/or asthma provoked by castor bean dust, together with a positive prick test to a high dilution of castor bean extract. These were compared to twelve non-allergic dockworkers from Port Sudan and forty-three other Port Sudan residents. The castor bean allergic group had significantly higher IgE levels (mean 902 iu/ml) than the non-allergic dock workers (mean 245 iu/ml) or the Port Sudan residents (mean 404 iu/ml) P less than 0.01. IgE antibody to castor bean was detected in all the castor bean-allergic group, and also in 25-35% of the Port Sudan resident group, but at a much lower level. No evidence was found to support the view that parasitic infestation (evidenced by IgE antibodies to Ascaris lumbricoides) prevented sensitization to castor bean or any other allergen. There was a higher incidence of IgE antibodies to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in the castor bean-allergic dockworkers (18/36) than in the non-allergic Port Sudan residents (5/43), although we were unable to show that sensitivity to other inhalant allergens pre-disposed to castor bean allergy.

Direct Detection of Specific Serum IgE Antibodies to Electrophoretically Separated Honey Bee Venom Allergens

Direct Detection of Specific Serum IgE Antibodies to Electrophoretically Separated Honey Bee Venom Allergens

Anaphylactic reactions to muscle relaxants under general anesthesia

Eleven patients who suffered a reaction to the administration of muscle relaxants during induction of general anesthesia were explored using skin tests, leukocyte histamine release, lymphocyte transformation test, and the Prausnitz-Küstner test (P-K). Fifteen normal subjects served as controls. Patients who suffered a reaction showed considerable cutaneous hypersensitivity to muscle relaxants. Leukocyte histamine release was positive in three cases and the P-K test was positive in one case. These findings suggest possible specific serum IgE antibodies to muscle relaxants. However, reliable discrimination between immunological and idiosyncratic pharmacological mechanism is difficult to obtain.

A Radioimmunoassay for Evaluation of the IgE and IgG Antibody Responses in the Rat

An assay, the paper radioallergosorbent test (PRAST), for the measurement of specific serum IgE antibody in the rat is described in detail. This assay has been used, in conjunction with a modified PRAST for the determination of relative specific serum IgG antibody and the PRIST assay for total serum IgE [13], to measure specific IgE and IgG and total IgE immune responses in normal parasite infected rats immunized using various protocols. The results indicate that there is a relationship between the basic IgE level and the immune response, i.e. a rat strain with a low constitutive IgE level demonstrates a weak response whereas a high level strain reacts strongly. When PRAST and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) were compared, using standardized IgE antibody containing sera, the results were in good agreement. However, PRAST is the preferable assay as it shows less intrinsic variation, is more sensitive than PCA, and is not influenced by high serum IgE levels in the recipient animal.

Influence of levamisole on the immune response of old people.

Fifteen healthy people, over 70 years old, have been treated during 1 month with Levamisole at the dose of 150 mg a day, twice a week. They have been compared to 15 controls matched for age and sex. At the start of the study, each subject was injected with 0.2 ml of a diphtheria-tetanus vaccine. Levamisole had no effect on the following immune parameters known to be altered in old age: serum IgE concentration, specific IgE and IgG antibody response to diphtheria toxin, lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). There was a slight and transitory effect of Levamisole on the isohemagglutinin titer. In vitro, Levamisole was weakly mitogenic for the peripheral blood lymphocytes from old and young control subjects but there was no influence on the response to PHA.

Immunoglobulins in Nasal Secretion with Special Reference to IgE

14 adult patients with allergic rhinitis due to timothy pollen were observed for 13 weeks during the grass pollen season. IgE, IgA and timothy-specific IgE antibodies could be quantified in all serum and secretion samples. Total IgE and specific IgE antibodies in both serum and secretion reached significantly higher levels in samples taken during and after the pollen season than before the season. These seasonal changes proved to be significantly more pronounced in nasal secretion than in serum. An indication of local production in the nasal mucosa of IgE, IgA and secific IgE antibodies was also found.

RAST with the Purified Sea-Squirt Antigen Bounded on Sepharose 4B and Significance of Measurement of Specific Serum IgE Antibody

RAST with the Purified Sea-Squirt Antigen Bounded on Sepharose 4B and Significance of Measurement of Specific Serum IgE Antibody