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Background: The impact of exposure to air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter (PM), on the immune system and its consequences on pediatric asthma, are not well understood. We investigated whether ambient levels of fine PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 microns (PM2.5) are associated with alterations in circulating monocytes in children with or without asthma. Methods: Monocyte phenotyping was performed by cytometry time‐of‐flight (CyTOF). Cytokines were measured using cytometric bead array and Luminex assay. ChIP‐Seq was utilized to address histone modifications in monocytes. Results: Increased exposure to ambient PM2.5 was linked to specific monocyte subtypes, particularly in children with asthma. Mechanistically, we hypothesized that innate trained immunity is evoked by a primary exposure to fine PM and accounts for an enhanced inflammatory response after secondary stimulation in vitro. We determined that the trained immunity was induced in circulating monocytes by fine particulate pollutants, and it was characterized by the upregulation of proinflammatory mediators, such as TNF, IL‐6, and IL‐8, upon stimulation with house dust mite or lipopolysaccharide. This phenotype was epigenetically controlled by enhanced H3K27ac marks in circulating monocytes. Conclusion: The specific alterations of monocytes after ambient pollution exposure suggest a possible prognostic immune signature for pediatric asthma, and pollution‐induced trained immunity may provide a potential therapeutic target for asthmatic children living in areas with increased air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous patient‐based studies have highlighted the protective role of immunoglobulin E‐mediated allergic diseases on glioblastoma (GBM) susceptibility and prognosis. However, the mechanisms behind this observation remain elusive. Our objective was to establish a preclinical model able to recapitulate this phenomenon and investigate the role of immunity underlying such protection. Methods: An immunocompetent mouse model of allergic airway inflammation (AAI) was initiated before intracranial implantation of mouse GBM cells (GL261). RAG1‐KO mice served to assess tumor growth in a model deficient for adaptive immunity. Tumor development was monitored by MRI. Microglia were isolated for functional analyses and RNA‐sequencing. Peripheral as well as tumor‐associated immune cells were characterized by flow cytometry. The impact of allergy‐related microglial genes on patient survival was analyzed by Cox regression using publicly available datasets. Results: We found that allergy establishment in mice delayed tumor engraftment in the brain and reduced tumor growth resulting in increased mouse survival. AAI induced a transcriptional reprogramming of microglia towards a pro‐inflammatory‐like state, uncovering a microglia gene signature, which correlated with limited local immunosuppression in glioma patients. AAI increased effector memory T‐cells in the circulation as well as tumor‐infiltrating CD4+T‐cells. The survival benefit conferred by AAI was lost in mice devoid of adaptive immunity. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that AAI limits both tumor take and progression in mice, providing a preclinical model to study the impact of allergy on GBM susceptibility and prognosis, respectively. We identify a potentiation of local and adaptive systemic immunity, suggesting a reciprocal crosstalk that orchestrates allergy‐induced immune protection against GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an important change in the clinical characteristics and immune profile of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients during the pandemic thanks to the extensive vaccination programs. Here, we highlight recent studies on COVID‐19, from the clinical and immunological characteristics to the protective and risk factors for severity and mortality of COVID‐19. The efficacy of the COVID‐19 vaccines and potential allergic reactions after administration are also discussed. The occurrence of new variants of concerns such as Omicron BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 and the global administration of COVID‐19 vaccines have changed the clinical scenario of COVID‐19. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐C) may cause severe and heterogeneous disease but with a lower mortality rate. Perturbations in immunity of T cells, B cells, and mast cells, as well as autoantibodies and metabolic reprogramming may contribute to the long‐term symptoms of COVID‐19. There is conflicting evidence about whether atopic diseases, such as allergic asthma and rhinitis, are associated with a lower susceptibility and better outcomes of COVID‐19. At the beginning of pandemic, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) developed guidelines that provided timely information for the management of allergic diseases and preventive measures to reduce transmission in the allergic clinics. The global distribution of COVID‐19 vaccines and emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variants with reduced pathogenic potential dramatically decreased the morbidity, severity, and mortality of COVID‐19. Nevertheless, breakthrough infection remains a challenge for disease control. Hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) to COVID‐19 vaccines are low compared to other vaccines, and these were addressed in EAACI statements that provided indications for the management of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis to COVID‐19 vaccines. We have gained a depth knowledge and experience in the over 2 years since the start of the pandemic, and yet a full eradication of SARS‐CoV‐2 is not on the horizon. Novel strategies are warranted to prevent severe disease in high‐risk groups, the development of MIS‐C and long COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on purification and characterization of atopic allergens. In the past two decades, several atopic allergens, which induce IgE antibody-mediated immediate hypersensitivity in man have been purified to near homogeneity and studied for their immunochemical properties. In this paper will be reviewed some of the general findings drawn from such studies. Allergen characterization studies with extracts from these sources have confirmed the views of allergists that all extracts are multi-allergen systems and that individuals can have varying patterns of sensitivity to different allergens.

Regulatory non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) including small non‐coding RNAs (sRNAs), long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) have gained considerable attention in the last few years. This is mainly due to their condition‐ and tissue‐specific expression and their various modes of action, which suggests them as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets. One important mechanism of ncRNAs to regulate gene expression is through translation of short open reading frames (sORFs). These sORFs can be located in lncRNAs, in non‐translated regions of mRNAs where upstream ORFs (uORFs) represent the majority, or in circRNAs. Regulation of their translation can function as a quick way to adapt protein production to changing cellular or environmental cues, and can either depend solely on the initiation and elongation of translation, or on the roles of the produced functional peptides. Due to the experimental challenges to pinpoint translation events and to detect the produced peptides, translational regulation through regulatory RNAs is not well studied yet. In the case of circRNAs, they have only recently started to be recognized as regulatory molecules instead of mere artifacts of RNA biosynthesis. Of the many roles described for regulatory ncRNAs, we will focus here on their regulation during inflammation and in immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four allergologically important fungi, viz. Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium notalum Alternaria altermata, and Cladosporium herbarum were cultured in a liquid synthetic me with or without addition of 0.1 % yeast extract (YE). After 10 and 28 days of cultivation, immunochemical properties of the fungal extracts, characterised by precipitation pattern and IgG- and IgE-binding capacity, were studied. In pure synthetic medium no large differences were observed in number of precipitates, as measured by DID, among the four antigenic fractions of each fungus (metabolic and mycelial antigens of both early and late phase cultures). Addition of YE to the growth medium hardly changed the number of precipitates and generally caused a decrease in lgG-binding capacity of the extracts. In contrast to these observations were the findings with the IgE-binding capacities of the fungal extracts as measured by RAST. Most allergenic fractions demonstrated an increase (sometimes strong) in lgE-binding capacity after YE was added to the growth medium. It is concluded that the time of cultivation influences the immunochemical characteristics of fungal extracts and that mycelial as well as metabolic antigens of both early and late phase cultures should be used in order to obtain a wide spectrum of allergens in extracts used for diagnostic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgE and IgG antibodies (ab) and lymphocyte transformation (LT) were studied in untreated and hyposensitized birch pollen allergic subjects and in non-a topic controls using whole extract and fractions obtained by gel filtration of birch pollen extract. All the allergic subjects had positive IgE ab, IgG ab and LT responses to the whole extract. Both the untreated and the hyposensitized subjects had peak IgE ab and LT responses against the allergenic fractions of the extract, while negative responses were obtained in the non-atopic controls. Only hyposensitized subjects had developed high IgG ab responses to the allergenic fractions. Most of the treated and untreated subjects showed IgG ab and LT responses to the high molecular weight fractions with low allergenic activity. Significantly higher IgE ab responses to these fractions were observed in the treated subjects than in the untreated ones, indicating potentiation of IgE ab responses against some antigens during immunotherapy. Some of the allergic subjects also responded to the fractions of low molecular size (mol.wt. 2000-5000) with low allergenic activity. Both IgE ab, IgG ab and LT responses to these fractions were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of several research papers published in different journals. One of the abstracts is on quantitative studies describing the in vivo behavior of an inhaled protein antigen. Aerosol mists were generated from bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions. The fate of inhaled BSA in vivo was studied in rabbits by using a paired-isotope technique to quantitative antigen sequestration within organs. The study suggests that antigen inhalation may function primarily as an important physiologic means by which natural immunity to environmental antigens is established. Another abstract discusses relationship of serum theophylline concentration to inhibition of exercise-induced bronchospasm and comparison with cromolyn. The effect of cromolyn in suppressing exercise-induced bronchospasm was generally much less.

Background Early life farm exposures have been shown to decrease the risk of allergic diseases. Dendritic cells ( DCs) may mediate asthma-protective effect of farm exposures as they play an important role in the development of immunity and tolerance. Our aim was to investigate whether the numbers and phenotypes of circulating DCs at age 6 are associated with farming, asthma, and atopy in a selected sample of French and Finnish children from the PASTURE study. Methods We studied 82 farm and 86 nonfarm children with and without asthma. Using flow cytometry, BDCA1+ CD11c+ myeloid DC1s ( mDC1), BDCA3+high mDC2s and BDCA2+ plasmacytoid DCs ( pDCs) were identified and expressions of CD86, immunoglobulin-like transcript 3 ( ILT3) and ILT4 were analyzed. Questionnaires were used to assess prenatal and lifetime patterns of farm exposures and to define asthma. Atopic sensitization was defined by specific IgE measurements. Results The percentage of mDC2 cells was lower in farm children (0.033 ± 0.001) than in nonfarm children (0.042 ± 0.001; P = 0.008). Similar associations were found between mDC2 percentage and prenatal ( P = 0.02) and lifetime exposure to farm milk ( P = 0.03) and stables ( P = 0.003), but these associations were not independent from farming. Asthma was positively associated with ILT4 + mDCs ( P = 0.04) and negatively with CD86 + pDCs ( P = 0.048) but only in nonfarm children. Conclusions Inverse association between farm exposure and mDC2 percentage suggest that this DC subset may play a role in farm-related immunoregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the common variable immunodeficiency (CVI). It is defined by low serum levels. The apparent proximal cause of it is arrest of the B-cell differentiation pathway. A study was performed on five patients diagnosed with CVI. At the moment of the blood extraction, all of them had neither infections nor other known diseases that could affect their immunlogic status. The percentage of positive cells was calculated by subtracting background fluorescence produced by the negative control. The article presents findings on the CD8+ T-cell subsets in these five patients.

John Bienenstock is a multifaceted gentleman (Figure). Dr Bienenstock contributed over 50 years to the research of allergy and immunology. 3 MacQueen G, Marshall J, Perdue M, Siegel S, Bienenstock J. Pavlovian conditioning of rat mucosal mast cells to secrete rat mast cell protease II. [Extracted from the article]

Discusses the abstracts of articles about pediatric asthma. 'Role of Environment on Acute Asthma and Respiratory Infections During Winter Season,' by G. Cuturilo, Z. Zivkovic, T. Raskovic, Z. Kalaba and S. Smiljanic; 'Humoral Antiviral Immunity in Children With Bronchial Asthma,' by T.B. Sentsova, I.I. Balabolkin, V.A. Bulgakova and T.N. Corotocova.

Examines inheritable defects in interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma-mediated immunity. Role of cytokine interferon-gamma in intracellular pathogens; Simulation of peripheral blood nuclear cells; Correlation between blood eosinophilia and tissue mastocytosis.

The early 1980s saw the production of the first allergen-specific mAbs. Since then, allergists have debated whether mAbs are only supplementary to 1gB-based standardization, or whether they can replace a mAbs. Only IgE-based standardization would enable measurement of all relevant allergenic structures, majors as well as minor, provided, of course, that enough patients are skin tested, or that serum pools for in vitro tests are composed of large enough numbers of sera. Potency measurements by RAST inhibition with serum pools will not be influenced by the prescribe minor allergens: 1gB antibodies against minor allergens are diluted in a "sea" of 1gB against major allergens.

An analytic procedure was established to characterize bovine dander proteins with allergenic properties. The proteins from dander extract were separated by size-exclusion gel filtration, and the fractions were studied with SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting. An 11-kDa allergen was found in the same gel filtration fractions as 20- and 22-kDa allergens, and this suggests that the 11 -kDa allergen is a dimer in its native form. Our method also detected two separate 22-kDa allergens. The primary structure of the major bovine dander allergen (BDA20) was also studied. A protein sequencer was used to determine the amino acid sequences of enzymatically cleaved peptides. The homology searches revealed that BDA20 is not a previously known bovine protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin reactions following the injection of foreign proteins are a useful means of assessing specific hypersensitivity. In all forms of the Arthus response, immunohistologic studies show immune complex deposition at the reaction site, in and around the walls of small blood vessels. These immune complexes are formed at moderate antigen excess and activate complement via the classical pathway. The classical delayed-type hypersensitivity skin response is seen in tuberculin sensitivity, but also with a variety of fungal antigens.

In 4 inbred strains of guinea pig the tendency to develop peripheral high-eosinophilia was shown to be genetically controlled. The development of eosinophilia with age and following immunization was examined in high- and low-eosinophilic parental strains, in F1-hybrids and in backcross offspring. The results show that probably only one or a very few segregating genes control eosinophilia, and they also indicate that different genes are involved in the determination of spontaneous (age-related) and immunization-induced eosinophilia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some parameters which might affect RAST results, i.e. incubation length, degree of ligand substitution, and total IgE levels, were examined in a RAST system employing diphenylmethane diisocyanate--human serum albumin (MDI-HSA) conjugates as antigens, both in exposed symptomatic and in non-exposed subjects. The reaction equilibrium was reached after 9 and 18 h. respectively, in the first and the second step of the test. A marked correlation with the degree of ligand substitution was observed, the highest sensitivity being achieved with the lowest (2.9) MDI/HSA molar ratio examined. Higher (up to 50) degrees of substitution resulted in progressively lower levels of radioactivity bound and in a loss of specificity, as confirmed by RAST inhibition experiments. At high levels of ligand substitution, high titers of total serum IgE affected RAST results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitating antibodies against pigeon bloom antigen and pigeon serum were evaluated as a measure of pigeon exposure in 62 male pigeon breeders compared with 40 unexposed control subjects. We found a combination of highly antigenic bloom extract and a sensitive counter current immunoelectrophoresis suitable for clinical estimation of pigeon exposure. The sensitivity of the test was 86% in never-smokers and 73% in smokers at the 98% specificity level. Smoking significantly reduced the humoral immune response to both antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust samples were collected twice from smooth and carpeted floors in 10 Norwegian schools. The content of antigens and allergens of alder (Alnus incana), birch (Betula verrucosa), timothy (Phleum pratense), cat and dog dander, house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae), mould (Cladosporium herbarum), hen egg white and codfish immunoelectrophoresis (CRIE), radio allergosorbent test (RAST) inhibition and quantitive precipitation inhibition analysis by laser nephelometry. Antigens and allergens of cat and dog dander and hen egg white were most prevalent in the dust samples investigated. With the exception of hen egg white and codfish allergens, no statistically significant differences in mean allergen content were shown in identical quantities of freeze-dried dust extracts from carpeted and smooth floors. RAST-inhibition analyses of identical amounts of dust from either floors showed higher content of allergens of cat, dog, hen egg white, codfish, mould and timothy pollen in classrooms with carpets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect washing at various temperatures would have on the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and its allergens. Young and old mite cultures underwent a simulated washing programme. To record the number of live mites prior to and after washing a new counting method was applied. lime findings demonstrated that although washing reduced the number of live mites, a washing programme at minimum temperature 58°C was required in order to achieve complete extermination of the house dust miles, A distinct protein loss was observed when washing at higher temperature, thus further reducing the total allergen pool without loss of allergen activity as determined by direct RAST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Multitest CMI system consists of a disposable multiple puncture device that simultaneously applies seven standardized recall antigens for assessment of cell-mediated immunity (CMI). The seven antigens included were toxoid from Clostridium tetani and Corynebacterium diphtheriae, tuberculin, plus antigens from streptococcus (group C), Candida albicans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Proteus mirabilis. A population of 352 healthy Danish adults, aged between 17 and 90 years, was tested to determine the incidence and size of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses. All but six healthy adults (98%) responded to one or more antigens, the median number of positive responses being four in males and three in females. The incidence of positive responses ranged from 91% for tuberculin to 11% for trichophyton. The number of positive responses declined with age, being somewhat faster in females than males. Six of the seven antigen response rates were significantly lower in the over 65-years-olds, the only exception being trichophyton, and for four of the seven antigens significantly lower in females compared to males. When correlated to age and sex no major differences were found with regard to the size of response to the seven antigens except that the tuberculin response was larger in males. A scoring system based on both number and size of positive responses revealed significant age and sex related differences. The median "score" in 17-65-year-old males and females were, respectively, 17 mm and 14 mm compared to 13 mm and 8 mm in those over 65 years old (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ciclosporin (Cs) inhibits the elaboration of the lymphokine leukocyte migration inhibitory factor (LIF) from human blood mononuclear cells (MNC) stimulated with recall antigen. This inhibition was counteracted by 3 &time; l0-3 M dibutyryl-cyclic GMP and 8-bromo-cyclic GMP and by the cyclic GMP-agonists, sodium nitroprusside (NaNPr), ascorbic acid (As A), sodium azide (NaN3) and carbacholine. Using 5 &time; l0-5 M NaNPr, 1 &time; l0-3 M NaN3, or 3 &time; 10-3 M As A1 25-50-, 4-8- and 2-3-fold elevations of MNC and T-lymphocyte cyclic GMP-levels were obtained independently of the presence of Cs. NaNPr was the most potent of these three cyclic GMP-agonists in counteracting the effect of Cs. The results indicate that intracellular cyclic GMP is a major factor involved in the reversal of Cs-induced inhibition of LIF-production. None of the cyclic GMP-analogues or -agonists by themselves possessed Interleukin 1-like activity, measured by their ability to induce LIF-production by macrophage-depleted T-lymphocytes challenged by recall antigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dialysed extracts of alder (Alnus glutinosa) and hazel (Corylus avellana) pollens were characterized by immunochemical methods. The alder pollen extract contained at least 33 distinct antigens of which one, antigen 5, was classified as a major allergen, three, antigens 4, 10, and 17, were classified as intermediate allergens and two, antigens 19 and 23, were classified as minor allergens. The molecular weight and pi of the major allergen were determined to be 19,000 D and 5.2, respectively. The hazel pollen extract contained at least 40 distinct antigens, two of which were classified as major allergens, antigens 8 and 13, three as intermediate allergens, antigens 12, 17, and 26, and seven as minor allergens, antigens 6, 11, 16, 18, 29, 39, and 40. The molecular weights and pI's of the major allergens of hazel pollen were determined to be: antigen 8; Mw = 12,000 D, pI = 5.1 and < 3.5, antigen 13; Mw = 26,000 D, pI = 5.1. Further, crossed line immunoelectrophoresis and tandem crossed immunoeleetrophoresis of alder, birch and hazel strongly indicate that there exists an immunochemical partial identity between the major allergens (antigens 5 (alder), 23 (birch), and 13 (hazel)) from these tree pollens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reference extract of mugwort pollen (Artemisia vuigavis) was characterized by crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), crossed radio immunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) and quantitative skin prick test (QSPT). CIE revealed that the extract contained at least 42 distinct antigens of which 24 migrated towards the anode and 18 towards the cathode at pH 8.6. A CRIE analysis of the crude mugwort pollen extract, performed with sera from 29 mugwort-allergic patients, showed that 10 antigens may be considered allergens; one was classified as a major allergen, five as intermediate allergens, and four as minor allergens. The QSPT performed on the same 29 allergic patients established that 17.4 μg lyophilised reference mugwort pollen extract per ml had a biological potency of I HEP (histamine equivalent by prick test). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spontaneous release of house dust mite components from cultures of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus into slightly buffered water was studied against time, using both continuous and discontinuous extraction procedures. It was shown that proteins, carbohydrates, IgE binding components and precipitating antigenic components were rapidly released from the house dust mite cultures, reaching a maximal liberation within 1 h of extraction. Repeated extractions of house dust mite cultures (discontinuous extraction) showed an additional release of IgE components but the IgE binding potency declined after successive extractions, while showing increasing release of immunological inactive components. IgE binding to antigens immobilized to polystyrene surfaces (IgE-ELISA) appeared to be less sensitive compared with cyanogen-bromide activated discs (IgE-RAST). It was concluded that extraction procedures of house dust mite cultures with short incubation time of 1 h or less are to be preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A D pleronyssinus whole culture allergen preparation contained 49 antigens as revealed by crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), using polyspecific rabbit antibodies. Crossed radio-immunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) with sera from 30 patients revealed nine allergens, antigens 42, X, Y and 23 (in rank order) showing the most frequent and intense IgE-uptake. Nine antigens originated from the culture medium (human dander + yeast), but none of these gave rise to specific IgE-uptake. Extremely few and weak reactions were observed in radioallergosorbent (RAST) with 129 sera, using media extracts on the discs. Purified mite body extract (PMB) contained less ag 42 and more ag Y and ag 23 than whole mile culture extract (WMC), whereas an acetone-extracted mite excreta preparation (AML) contained 5 times more ag 42, but was devoid of ag Y and ag 23. Ag X was present in all preparations. The RAST-inhibitory potency of PMB was best correlated with the content of ag X. Preparations with properties similar to WMC and PMB were judged as suitable for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poodle and Alsatian dog dandruff extracts were characterized by crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) using sera from 24 individuals clinically sensitive to dogs. By using a system with intermediate gel in immunoelectrophoresis, the content of dander-specific and serumspecific allergens was established. 29 antigens (18 dander-specific and 11 serum-specific) were identified in the mixed breed Poodle/AIsation dandruff extract. Of these, 24 antigens were radiostained in CRIE. 16 allergens were dander specific and the remaining eight were serum specific. Positive dog dander RAST (e5 and Poodle/AIsatian dandruff extract) results were observed in the tested dog hypersensitive subjects. Our results suggest that the mixture of Poodle Alsatian dandruff extract may he a suitable preparation for the diagnosis and treatment of dog allergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of a set of genes controlling the ability of the individual to mount an immune response to certain antigens came as a major surprise to most immunologists. Nonetheless, it had been noticed for many years that some animals in outbred populations were good and other were poor producers of antibody to selected antigens. An example is the production of antibody to diphtheria toxin by guinea pigs which was found to show great individual variation. Breeding of good antitoxin producers with good antitoxin producers yielded progressively better antitoxin producers with each successive generation, and breeding of poor with poor antitoxin producers for several gene rations yielded offspring which hardly produced any antitoxin at all.

Bee venom obtained by electrical stimulation has been analysed by crossed immunoelectrophoresis against high-titer rabbit antibodies. The antigenic analysis of bee venom revealed that the extract contained 17 antigens, which were detected in the crossed immunoelectrophoresis pattern after staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue. The crossed immunoelectrophoresis pattern indicated heterogeneity in several of the antigens, as most of the precipitates (exhibiting enzyme and hemolytic activities) represented multiple forms of phospholipase A, hyaluronidase, acid phosphatase and melittin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is shown that apple allergens are probably proteins and that they can be extracted in an active form only if reactions with phenolic compounds present in apple are inhibited. This is accomplished by incorporating chelators and solid polyvinylpolypyrrolidone in the extraction medium. Phenol, commonly used as a preservative, should not be added. With the RAST, serum-IgE antibodies capable of reacting with apple allergens were detected in 90% of patients with clinical apple allergy, in 44% of patients with clinical birch-pollen allergy and in 5-10% of patients with other atopic allergies. RAST inhibition indicated that apple and birch-pollen allergens cross-react. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin tests and estimation of specific IgE-antibodies by the RAST are evaluated as diagnostic procedures in bee sting hypersensitivity with the following results: (1) Tests with venom antigens are highly superior to tests wich wholebody extracts. (2) With bee venom results of skin tests and RAST correspond in 82%, with bee wholebody extracts in 68% (3) Both with skin tests and the RAST with bee venom a good discrimination between patients with bee sting hypersensitivity and non-allergic controls is observed. Skin tests with bee venom are somewhat more sensitive than bee venom-RAST. (4) With the careful skin test procedure chosen, no adverse reactions were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunological functions of the pharyngeal tonsil, palatine tonsils and blood leucocytes of children undergoing tonsillectomy were evaluated by determining T or B lymphocytes, the response to mitogens, and the cell-mediated immunological responses to tuberculin. In all the test systems used similar results were obtained with cells derived from either the palatine or pharyngeal tonsils. The mean percentage of T lymphocytes was significantly higher in the peripheral blood than in tonsils, but the reverse was true of B lymphocytes. The reaction to PHA was lower in tonsillar cell culture than in blood cell culture, but tonsillar cells reacted better to Con A than blood cells. In lymphocyte transformation tests tonsillar cells reacted to specific antigen (tuberculin) and this reaction was significantly higher than that of the parallelly tested blood lymphocytes. Further, in about 50% of the children tested, tuberculin caused migration inhibition of the mixture containing tonsillar cells and guinea pig peritoneal cells. Surprisingly, nearly identical results were obtained if migration inhibition test was performed with tonsillar cells alone. Consequently, poorly migrating tonsillar cells are nevertheless usable for direct migration inhibition testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on basophils and antigen presentation. It particularly discusses a study which compares the antigen-presenting properties of different human cell types including basophils. It is opined that there is an urgent need to obtain insights regarding potential antigen-presenting functions of human basophils.