Respiratory allergenicity of detergent enzymes in the guinea pig intratracheal test: association with sensitization of occupationally exposed individuals.

A guinea pig intratracheal test was used to set occupational operating guidelines for new enzyme proteins used in the detergent industry. In these studies, animals were intratracheally dosed with different levels of enzyme protein and sera from the animals were titered for allergic antibody to the enzyme. The amount of antibody produced to an enzyme was compared to the amount of antibody produced to the same protein doses of Alcalase, for which effective operating guidelines exist. These comparisons were used to determine if a new enzyme was more potent, less potent, or equivalent to Alcalase; operating guidelines were then established for the new enzyme. Termamyl was about 10-fold more potent than Alcalase and the protease subtilisin B was shown to be less potent. Another protease, Savinase, was shown to be equivalent in potency to Alcalase. The operating guidelines for Termamyl were adjusted lower, whereas the operating guidelines for the proteases were set the same as that of Alcalase. Under these conditions, we would predict that sensitizations to new enzymes would be comparable to or lower than the sensitizations to Alcalase. Prospective evaluation of skin prick test data of factory workers showed that sensitizations to Termamyl and Savinase were similar to sensitizations to Alcalase. The sensitizations to subtilisin B were lower than those to Alcalase. During this time period (7 years), only three respiratory incidents (rhinitis) were reported, demonstrating that employees with positive skin prick tests can continue to work. These comparisons indicate that the guinea pig intratracheal test is a good animal model for evaluating enzymes as respiratory allergens and that the data generated can be used to set operating guidelines for occupational allergens.