Respiratory immunotoxicity: an in vitro assessment.

As yet, in vitro assessment of the immunotoxic potency of respiratory agents is not possible. The complexity of the endpoint and the respiratory tract, and the limited availability of well-documented respiratory agents are the main reasons. The evidence that epithelial cells (ECs) are triggered by compounds to express in vitro surface proteins and soluble mediators, has stimulated their use for developing tests for respiratory immunotoxicity.

Inhibition of allergen-IgE binding to B cells by IgG antibodies after grass pollen immunotherapy.

Background: Among atopic individuals, levels of allergen-specific IgG antibodies have been inversely associated with the degree of allergen sensitization. Additionally, allergen-specific IgG antibodies are markedly increased by allergen injection immunotherapy. These observations have led to proposals that allergen-specific IgG antibodies might have protective properties in atopic individuals.