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In an extended study of a group of confectionery workers sensitized by exposure to egg spray, it was found that their blood serum contained antibodies to avian scrum proteins. Comparison of the ratio of IgG antibodies determined by ELISA to egg yolk 'livetins' and pigeon serum in these patients and in pigeon breeders showed that the phenomenon is entirely due to immunological cross-reactivity among avian blood serum proteins. These avian serum proteins in hens' eggs, not ovalbumin, were identified as the major sensitizing antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serum of patients with pigeon breeder's lung (PBL) contains IgG-class antibodies against pigeon serum proteins. These antibodies cross-react strongly with the sera of other avian species. Cross-reactivity, as demonstrated by precipitation, complement fixation, haemagglutination and microELISA, is also exhibited with the water-soluble proteins in hen's egg yolk and egg white. The phenomenon appears to be due to the presence of hen serum proteins in the eggs, which occur particularly concentrated among the water-soluble proteins in the yolk ('livetins'). It is proposed that anti-egg antibodies may explain the frequent serological finding of 'false-positive' asymptomatic pigeon breeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micropolyspora faeni antigens were used for specific IgA. IgG and IgM determination with an ELISA technique, and for specific IgE antibodies by means of RAST in eighteen patients with farmer's lung, in nineteen farmers with other chest conditions, and in twenty-nine controls. The farmers' lung group had significantly higher IgG antibody levels than the controls, while specific IgA levels were elevated in ten cases. Specific IgE and--except for three cases IgM levels did not differ from the controls, In the group of farmers with other lung diseases, only three had increased levels of specific IgG antibody. The correlation (0-89) between IgG by ELISA and a complement-fixation test indicated that C activation by M. faeni antigens is mediated by IgG antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic conjugates of β-lactoglobulin and reducing sugar prepared by Maillard reaction acquire the capacity of inactivating haemolytic complement in human serum. The C-inactivating potential is related to the mean number of (lysine)-ε-amino-1-deoxy-2-ketose residues incorporated in the model compound. These findings are compared to results obtained by skin-testing similar artificial allergens in atopic subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present studies were initiated in order to clarify these points and perhaps permit a re-evaluation of the role of mites in human allergy. Numerous studies have been devoted to the possible relationship between the skin-active components in extracts of cultures of mites of the family Pyroglyphidae on the one hand, and of house dust on the other. The problem of major contamination by antigens or allergens from the culture medium was raised at an early stage, especially in relation to mites grown on dried human dandruff and yeast powder.

Haemagglutination-inhibition studies showed that several different allergenic preparations exhibit A and B blood group activity. Most products displayed A-specificity, less often B- specificity; the inhibition titers were usually low. No correlation was evident between isoagglutination-inhibition titers and the compIement-consuming capacity or skin-reactivity of the allergens- Absorption of A- and B- isoagglutinins from human serum did not affect the complement consumption by house dust allergens. Hapten-inhibition studies confirmed the non- participation of blood group antibodies in allergen-induced complement consumption. The observed inhibition by D-gIucosamine is attributed to a partial structural homology with the lysine-sugar site on house dust allergens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purified house dust allergen has been employed for screening the susceptibility to inactivation of haemolytic complement in the blood serum of atopic individuals and control subjects Though the atopic sera displayed a tendency to higher susceptibility, no practical distinction was possible from the sera of patients with various forms of chronic pulmonary disease, extrinsic allergic alveolitis, or urticaria. CH50 and C4 levels were unrelated to allergen-sensitivity of haemolytic complement nor was there a correlation with the titers of naturally-occurring sheep red cell haemoIysins. Although blood group specificity within the ABO system was distributed over the patients as expected for the normal population, the titers of A- and B-type antibodies displayed a trend to correlate with the allergen-sensitivity of fluid phase complement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several different animal dander materials have been extracted, and the yields and analyses of total nondialysable substance have been compared. Various coded dander extracts were examined by prick and intradermal tests in atopic individuals; the allergens were also screened for their capacity to induce loss of haemolytic complement from human allergic serum. Wide variations were noted in the percentage of extractable material among the different danders. Many patients reacted to skin tests with several unrelated dander allergens, and these skin responses did not correlate with a history of animal contacts. However, isolated cases were observed of immunologically highly specific sensitizations. Calculated mean skin reactivities of the allergens correlated well with the capacity to inactivate human complement in fluid phase in vitro. It is suggested that the allergens may exert a dual action, both unspecific and/or immunologically specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complement factors C3c, C4, factor B, C3d and the immunoglobulin IgA were determined in suction blister fluid of patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria and in normal controls. The levels increased when the skin of the patients had been previously irradiated with ‘white light’, but not with Kromayer radiation, and were interpreted as being the result of increased of vasopermeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insignificant variation was noted in the mean levels of the complement components C1q, C4, C2, C3, C5 and C3PA between various groups of sera from patients with urticaria, angio-oedema, dermatitis herpetiformis, alopecia areata, or hay fever. No deficiencies were found. Elevated C9 levels in chronic urticaria and angio-oedema reflected its nature as an acute phase protein. The assessment of C components in single or sequential serum samples revealed only marginal variations. Similar results were recorded for plasminogen and the immunoglobulins G, A and M. Some evidence is provided for the primary involvement of the kallikrein-kinin system in urticaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]