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By means of the antigen-antibody crossed electrophoresis of Laurel! twenty-two different candida albicans precipitins were demonstrated in a serum from a 56-year-old woman suffering from idiopathic hypoparathyroidism and chronic candidiasis. This precipitin response is remarkably strong, but a detailed evaluation of the finding must await further investigations. lt is mentioned how the human precipitins may be quantitated and the titres expressed in arbitrary rabbit precipitin units. The antigen-antibody crossed electrophoresis may be useful in other infections, and possibly in certain autoimmune diseases, in order quantitatively to screen patient sera for a multitude of precipitins without purification of the individual antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunochemical identification of a distinct immunoglobulin class associated with mouse reaginic antibody and designated IgE has been performed. An antiserum against mouse reaginic antibody was prepared in rats by immunization with homologous peritoneal mast cells sensitized with mouse reaginic antibody. This antiserum, after adequate absorption, recognized only one component existing in mouse serum or fractions of serum containing reaginic antibody. This component was not any of the already known γ1, γ2, IgA or IgM immunoglobulins; its immunoglobulin nature was indicated by its antigen-binding capacity in radioimmunodiffusion analysis. Fractionation experiments (zone electrophoresis, gel filtration on Sephadex G-200) showed that there was a strict association between reaginic anaphylactic activity and IgE immunoglobulin. Molecular weight of IgE was found to be about 200,000. In biological tests, anti IgE neutralized anaphylactic activity attributed to reaginic antibody, but not that attributed to γ1-antibody. Anti-IgE degranulates normal and sensitized mouse peritoneal mast cells, and rat peritoneal mast cells after they have been sensitized by mouse reaginic antibody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]