Mesenchymal lineage stem cells have pronounced anti-inflammatory effects in the twitcher mouse model of Krabbe's disease.

The twitcher mouse is an animal model of Krabbe's disease (KD), which is a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder resulting from the absence of functional lysosomal enzyme galactocerebrosidase (GALC). This disease affects the central and peripheral nervous systems and in its most severe form results in death before the age of 2 in humans and approximately 30-40 days in mice. This study evaluates the effect of intracerebroventricular administration of mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue (ASCs) and bone marrow (BMSCs) on the pathology of KD.

Prevalence of IgE reactivities in mold-allergic subjects to commercially available fungal enzymes.

Fungi are important aeroallergens. However, fungal allergen sources of consistent quality for clinical testing are not readily available. Because some allergens have been identified as enzymes, we assessed the prevalence of IgE reactivity to commercially available fungal enzymes.

Fish allergy: is cross-reactivity among fish species relevant? Double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge studies of fish allergic adults.

Background: Allergic reactions to fish are a common cause of food allergy in many areas of the world where fish is a major source of protein. Although different species of fish may be consumed, possible cross-reactivity has received limited investigation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess potential cross-reactivity to different species of fish species using double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC) in fish-allergic adults and to compare skin test and RAST reactivity with the challenge response.

Detection of snow-crab antigens by air sampling of a snow-crab production plant.

Background And Objective: We previously assessed the prevalence of occupational asthma (OA) to snow-crab in production plant workers. We also showed that this type of OA is related to immediate immunological reactivity as demonstrated by skin reactivity and increased specific IgE antibodies. However, we did not show that snow-crab antigens causing immunological reactivity and OA could be found in the air sampling in the plants atmosphere.

Immunopathogenesis of fish allergy: identification of fish-allergic adults by skin test and radioallergosorbent test.

Background: As the consumption of fish increases in the United States, the importance of allergic reactions to fish has become clear. Since most previous studies on fish allergy have focused on children reacting mainly to codfish, there is a need to investigate allergic reactions to other fish in adults.

Objective: To identify fish-allergic adults, and to assess cross-reactivity among different species of fish by RAST inhibition.

Occupational IgE-mediated sensitization and asthma caused by clam and shrimp.

Background: To confirm occupational asthma caused by clam and shrimp in a food company worker, the following investigation was planned in 60 other exposed workers (56 participants).

Methods: Before the production period of clam and shrimp, a medical and occupational questionnaire was carried out and skin and RAST testing were done with common inhalants and clam, shrimp, crab, and lobster extracts. During the production period, environmental monitoring was performed with personal and general samplers; inhalation testing with methacholine was proposed to subjects with immediate skin reactivity to clam, shrimp, or both.

Chronological assessment of asbestos exposure on cell composition in murine lung.

To elucidate immune pathogenic mechanisms in asbestosis, lung and spleen lymphoid cell populations were analyzed at defined time intervals (1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 weeks during exposure and 4, 24, and 48 weeks post-exposure) in asbestos-exposed and unexposed (control) mice. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages were increased in the lung tissue histologic sections of asbestos-exposed mice compared to controls. No consistent changes were observed in percentages of lung or spleen helper, suppressor, or total lymphocyte populations after asbestos exposure.

Characterization of water-soluble shrimp allergens released during boiling.

Water-soluble shrimp allergens released during boiling (shrimp water) were characterized and compared to allergen extracts from boiled shrimp (shrimp meat). Both shrimp extracts contained acidic proteins (isoelectrofocusing) and demonstrated similar allergenic activity (RAST and RAST inhibition). Shrimp-water extract was analyzed further by immunoprinting with sera from 14 shrimp-sensitive, RAST-positive subjects, and six nonsensitive, RAST-negative individuals.

Food specific skin-test reactivity in atopic subjects.

It has been proposed that a permanent or transitory increase in gut permeability is an important facet in the development of food allergy. If this occurs, then individuals with a history of a specific food allergy should have a higher incidence of immunological reactivity to other food allergens as compared to food tolerant subjects. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the prevalence of food-specific IgE responses by skin-prick testing in 60 individuals.

Patterns of improvement in spirometry, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and specific IgE antibody levels after cessation of exposure in occupational asthma caused by snow-crab processing.

Thirty-one workers with occupational asthma caused by snow-crab processing were assessed by a long-term follow-up on three occasions at mean +/- SD intervals of 12.8 +/- 5.4, 31.

Immunologic evaluation of shrimp-allergic individuals.

Thirty-three individuals with a history of immediate hypersensitivity reactions after shrimp ingestion and 29 nonshrimp-sensitive control subjects were evaluated for evidence of crustacea-specific immunity by skin prick test titration end point, RAST, and ELISA, with extracts of shrimp, crab, crayfish, and lobster. Individuals were categorized as either atopic or nonatopic on the basis of history and skin test reactivity to common inhalant allergens. Most (28/33) shrimp-sensitive subjects had positive skin prick tests to shrimp extract, whereas skin tests were negative in 27/29 control subjects.

Reactivity of IgE antibodies with crustacea and oyster allergens: evidence for common antigenic structures.

IgE-antibody reactivity to oysters and crustacea of sera from six oyster-sensitive, seven oyster- and crustacea-sensitive, and 12 crustacea-sensitive subjects was investigated. All six subjects with a history of only oyster sensitivity had minimal RAST reactivity (ratios 2 to 5) to extracts of raw or boiled oysters. Three of the seven oyster- and crustacea-sensitive subjects and six of the 12 crustacea-sensitive, oyster-tolerant or unexposed subjects had elevated RAST ratios to oyster (14 to 41).

Anaphylaxis to cabbage: detection of allergens.

Allergy to cabbage and other foods in the Brassica family has rarely been observed in man. We report a case of facial and throat swelling in an atopic female after she ingested coleslaw on two separate occasions. She had 4+ reactions to cabbage, mustard plant, cauliflower, and broccoli by skin testing.

IgE sensitization in snow crab-processing workers.

Occupational asthma is a highly prevalent disease among snow crab-processing workers, but its immunologic mechanism has not been identified. Prick skin tests with snow crab-meat extract, commercial extracts from other crab genera, and snow crab cooking water collected in 1984 were performed on 119 workers. Crab-specific IgE was assessed by RAST in sera from 115 workers with meat and water extracts.

Fusarium solani: prevalence of skin reactivity and antigenic allergenic analysis.

The prevalence of Fusarium solani reactivity in atopic individuals with symptoms of mold allergy was assessed with skin test and RAST. In addition, F. solani preparations were evaluated for antigenic/allergenic activity.

Hypersensitivity reactions to ingested crustacea: clinical evaluation and diagnostic studies in shrimp-sensitive individuals.

Adverse reactions to ingested crustacea are common and may be life-threatening. We studied 14 individuals with histories of such reactions to shrimp by immediate skin tests and RAST with extracts of shrimp, crab, crayfish, and lobster. Nine of these subjects (8/8 atopics and 1/6 nonatopics) had positive immediate skin tests (wheal greater than or equal to 2 mm) and RAST (ratios greater than 3.

Analysis of tobacco leaf allergens by crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis.

The reactivity of eleven 'tobacco smoke sensitive' and eight 'non-sensitive' individuals to tobacco leaf allergens was tested by Crossed Radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE). All nineteen study subjects had IgE antibodies to tobacco leaf antigens as measured by Radioallergosorbent Test (RAST) and seventeen of the nineteen individuals were atopic. Of the thirty-seven tobacco leaf precipitins detected by Cross Immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), three were identified as allergens by CRIE.

Identification of crustacea allergens by crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis.

Crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) detected 18 precipitating antigens in extracts of shrimp. Of these antigens, crossed-line immunoelectrophoresis (CLIE) of shrimp extract demonstrated that 5 cross-reacted with crayfish, 3 with lobster and 1 with crab extract. Allergens present in the shrimp CIE plates were identified by crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) using sera from 6 study subjects who were skin-test and RAST positive to shrimp extract.

Basidiomycete allergy: what is the best source of antigen?

Skin prick test activity and antigenicity of extracts of in vitro growth of the Basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) were compared to extracts of spores from PO growing in the wild. Patients demonstrated significant differences in skin test reactivity to the PO extracts. Some reacted only to in vitro growth extracts, others only to the spore extracts and 1 patient to all extracts.

Effects of anti-epsilon on total and specific IgE levels in adult mice.

Adult (2- to 3-month-old) female CBA/J mice were injected intraperitoneally with heavy chain specific rabbit anti-IgE (anti-epsilon) to determine its effects on total and specific serum IgE. Animals receiving 10 X 250 micrograms injections over a 50-day period displayed significantly increased (10 X levels of serum IgE compared to rabbit gamma-globulin or untreated controls. If animals were immunized with castor allergen (CA) prior to anti-epsilon treatments their IgE anti-CA titers were significantly suppressed, although their total IgE levels were not significantly different compared to controls.

IgE isotype suppression in anti-epsilon-treated mice.

Two groups of CBA/J mice received a total of eight intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of heavy-chain-specific rabbit anti-IgE or rabbit gammaglobulin within 48 hr of birth through day 38.

Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis inhibition: evidence for heterogeneity in IgE mast cell interaction.

Recent evidence suggests that IgE molecules are heterogeneous with respect to ability to compete with IgE myeloma for sensitization of histamine release from chopped human lung and ability to passively sensitize human basophils for antigen-induced histamine release. These observations prompted further investigation of the possibility that there exists a functional heterogeneity in the IgE molecules with respect to mast-cell binding properties. Using eight different purified rat IgE myeloma proteins, we found that they differ in their ability to inhibit the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction of mouse reaginic antisera.