Influence of a co-stimulation of human leucocytes with an Escherichia coli preparation and fixed immunoglobulins on cytokine release in the presence of hydrocortisone.

Pharmaceuticals of biological origin consisting of bacterial culture suspensions (BCS) as active ingredients have long been used for the treatment of hemorrhoidal diseases and chronic anal pruritogenic eczemas. However, some of these pharmaceuticals often contain glucocorticoids such as hydrocortisone as an anti-inflammatory supplement. Therefore, the question arises whether the claimed immunostimulatory capacity of the bacterial culture suspension might be altered by the steroid.

Escherichia coli as a biologically active ingredient of suppositories. Solid phase extraction and quantification in a double antibody ELISA.

Techniques for isolation and quantification of an active ingredient of biological origin from a pharmaceutical product (Posterisan suppositories) were developed. By means of ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) in connection with a computerized evaluation, the antigenic material, a bacterial culture suspension (BCS) of Escherichia coli as a raw material was shown to be specifically and reproducibly detectable and quantifiable. As a limit of detection, a bacteria concentration of 6 x 10(4) cells/ml was determined, corresponding to 0.

Respiratory allergies (bronchial asthma and rhinitis) due to sensitization of type I allergy to red spider mite (Panonychus ulmi KOCH).

The inhabitants of a fruit growing area often report spontaneously of sensitization to the red spider mite (RSM) (Panonychus ulmi KOCH). These are for the most part sensitizations with low clinical symptoms (rhinitis, conjunctivitis and erythema). Severe clinical developments with bronchial asthma have been observed.

Occupational wood-dust sensitivity from Euonymus europaeus (spindle tree) and investigation of cross reactivity between E.e. wood and Artemisia vulgaris pollen (mugwort).

A 44-year-old goldsmith suffered from rhinitis and conjunctivitis after having worked with wood dust from Euonymus europaeus (E.e.) for 15 years.

Determination of IgE-specificities in nasal secretions and sera of allergic subjects by crossed radio-immunoelectrophoresis.

Allergen-specific IgE antibodies have not only been demonstrated in the serum, but also in the nasal secretions of allergic patients by means of the radio-allergosorbent test (RAST). In this preliminary study we adapted the technique of crossed radio-immunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) to nasal secretions in order to obtain further insight into the specificity of locally collected antibodies. Based on RAST results we compared CRIE patterns in serum, nasal secretions in 13 out of 23 grass pollen allergic subjects and two out of three house dust mite allergic subjects.

Allergens of horse epithelium. I. Physicochemical and immunochemical characterization of five different horse epithelium raw materials used for allergen extract preparation.

We investigated five horse epithelial allergen extracts prepared from different qualities of raw material by several biochemical and immunochemical methods. Horse serum albumin and horse serum were used to identify serum-related antigens. We found high similarities as well as marked differences between the extracts.

IgE-mediated allergic reactions to potatoes.

We investigated sera of 12 patients with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to potato, using different in vitro methods. Radioallergosorbent test classes 2-4 (7.6-46.

Comparison of Alternaria tenuis extracts prepared from different raw materials.

Alternaria extracts, prepared from three different sources under the same conditions, were compared by several biochemical/immunochemical methods. Two raw materials (A,G) contained mostly mycelia. The third raw material (C) contained mycelia (35%) and spores (65%).

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass-pollen allergoids. III. Efficacy and safety of unfractionated and high-molecular-weight preparations in rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma.

Specific immunotherapy with unmodified formalinized allergoids is effective in grass-pollen allergy, but systemic reactions have been observed. A high-molecular-weight formalinized allergoid (HMW-GOID) was fractionated by gel filtration, retaining molecules of greater than 85,000 daltons in the expectation of improving safety without sacrificing efficacy. HMW-GOID and unfractionated allergoid (GOID) had a similar allergenic activity assessed by RAST inhibition, but the HMW-GOID preparation was 65 times less reactive when it was tested by skin prick test than the GOID preparation.

Investigation of the allergenic activity of isolated fractions of a standardized partly purified whole mite body (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) extract.

Twelve fractions of a molecular weight range of 1.35-670.00 kilodaltons (kD) were isolated from a biologically standardized partly purified whole mite body extract (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) by preparative size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography.

The international collaborative study on the first international standard of birch (Betula verrucosa)-pollen extract.

A selected candidate international standard preparation of birch (Betula verrucosa)-pollen extract was studied together with other birch-pollen extracts in a multinational study involving 20 laboratories in 11 countries. The biologic activity of the extract had previously been demonstrated in quantitative skin prick testing. The study methods comprised RAST inhibition, histamine release, quantitative immunoelectrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and other methods.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass-pollen allergoids. II. Comparison between parameters assessing the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Specific immunotherapy is effective in alleviating symptoms in grass pollen-induced rhinitis, but there are no clear data demonstrating a correlation between symptom-medication scores and objective parameters. Twenty-five patients taking part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass pollen-formalinized allergoids were studied. All patients had the same investigations.

Investigations of patients allergic to the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus by crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis using purified mite bodies and whole mite culture extracts.

Sera of 20 patients allergic to the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were investigated by crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) using extracts prepared from purified mite bodies (PMB) and whole mite culture (WMC). By CRIE, different allergen patterns and different numbers of allergens were detected in the two extracts. By summarizing the values of the CRIE patterns of the 20 patients' sera into allergograms, 6 out of 16 allergens in PMB and 5 out of 10 allergens in WMC extracts could be identified as major allergens.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass-pollen allergoids. I. Rush immunotherapy with allergoids and standardized orchard grass-pollen extract.

Forty-five grass pollen-allergic patients were randomly assigned to three groups according to their skin test and RAST sensitivities and the severity of seasonal rhinitis. Eleven patients were treated with placebo (group 1), 19 patients (group 2) were treated with a six-mixed grass-pollen allergoid prepared by mild formalinization with a two-step procedure, and 15 other patients were treated with a standardized orchard grass-pollen extract (group 3). Because of a different immunotherapy schedule, only patients placed in groups 1 and 2 received the extracts in a double-blind fashion.

A manufacturer's criteria for in-house reference preparations for RAST inhibition.

Reagents employed for RAST-inhibition need careful characterization. An allergen reference preparation was produced from carefully selected raw materials. After immunochemical and biochemical characterization, the reference preparation was used to produce allergen reference paper disks.

Immunological cross-reactions between a cat hair and skin scraping extract and a cat serum and investigation of common allergenic molecules of cat 1 with cat serum.

Investigations of cross reactions between a cat hair and skin scraping extract (CHSS) and a cat serum (CS) were done by several biochemical and immunochemical methods. Furthermore, we looked for common allergenic molecules in a cat 1 reference preparation and in a CS. In crossed (radio) immunoelectrophoresis (CIE/CRIE) of CHSS vs.

[Immunoglobulin E-mediated contact urticaria and bronchial asthma caused by household rubber gloves containing latex. 3 case reports].

During a period of a few months we observed 3 female patients suffering from contact urticaria by use of rubber gloves. In one case the local urticarial reaction at the fore arms was followed by asthma. In all 3 cases we could prove type I allergy against latex by radio allergo sorbent test (RAST).

Molecular weight determination of allergen extracts and isolation of allergenic molecules by high-performance liquid chromatography.

The usefulness of size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the molecular weight determination of allergen extracts as a method of process control was investigated by measuring seven different batches of timothy pollen extracts. Preparative HPLC was used for the isolation of the major allergen Cat 1, from a crude cat hair and skin scraping (CHSS) extract. The chromatograms of the seven batches of the timothy pollen extracts looked very similar, suggesting the same molecular weight distribution in each extract.

Allergenic activity of short ragweed pollen (Ambrosia elatior) from different years and/or suppliers: criteria for the selection of an in-house allergen reference preparation.

We have investigated dialyzed extracts (A-F) of short ragweed pollens (Ambrosia elatior) from six consecutive production years and four different companies by protein nitrogen units, high performance liquid chromatography, isoelectric focusing, SDS-PAGE, RAST inhibition, crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis, and antigen E contents. Extract A showed lowest yields in all quantitative assays. Isoelectric focusing, SDS-PAGE, crossed immunoelectrophoresis, and crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis showed comparable patterns for all extracts except for extract A.

Application of the first international standard of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (house dust mite) in the evaluation of allergen extracts produced from two different source materials.

The first international standard (IS) of the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was used to compare side-by-side two allergen extracts prepared from two different house dust mite sources, namely whole mite cultures (WMC) and purified mite bodies (PMB), by employing several biochemical and immunochemical methods. In most methods employed, IS and WMC resembled more to each other than to PMB. These similarities comprehend protein contents, protein patterns, antigen and allergen patterns as well as total in vitro activity obtained in RAST inhibition (RI).

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with a high-molecular-weight, formalinized allergoid in grass pollen allergy.

Specific immunotherapy is effective in grass pollen allergy with standardized extracts and formalinized allergoids; but systemic reactions are not uncommon. A high-molecular-weight (greater than 85,000 daltons), formalinized allergoid was investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess its safety and efficacy. Twenty patients received a placebo and 39 the allergoid using a rather aggressive protocol.