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The amount of (1→3)-β-D-glucan in pollen from different plants was evaluated using the Limulus assay with a specific lysate. The amount ranged from 79 to 1800 ng/106 pollen. A calculation of the inhaled dose suggests that the amount of (1→3)-β-D-glucan present during periods with a high pollen content in the air exceeds levels that cause airways inflammation.

The release of serotonin from platelets was examined using polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) from normal volunteers. The stimulating agents employed were zymosan and heat-killed bacteria from Enterobacter agglomerans, which is commonly found in cotton dust. Optimal conditions for release were established. Both zymosan and E. agglomerans yielded a release of serotonin of an equal magnitude. The data are discussed in relation to the pathogenesis of respiratory disease associated with occupational exposure to cotton dust.