Production of homocytotropic antibody in guinea pigs inhalated with an extract of the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides farinae
Ishii, A.; Matsuhashi, T.; Miyamoto, J.; Sasa, M.
Japanese Journal of Experimental Medicine 43(1): 25-32
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-5031 PMID: 4267044 Document Number: 58039
Two groups of guineapigs were sensitised with an extract of the housedust mite Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes, which has recently been shown to be an important allergen in respiratory allergy [cf. 58, 373]. Both groups were exposed weekly to mite extract in aerosol form and one was treated by injection also. Skin tests gave positive reactions after 17 weeks in the group exposed to the allergen by inhalation only and after 6 weeks in the group that had also received an injection. In the early weeks, no redness was seen 1 h after injection of antigen but redness appeared 1 day later and lasted for 2 days, whereas at the 20th week, redness and oedema appeared 1 h after the injection. In the 23rd and 26th weeks, redness appeared 15 min after the injection. A non-sensitised guineapig did not give any skin reaction with this antigen. Homocytotropic antibodies were detected in allogenic guineapig skin after 16 weeks in the group treated by inhalation only and about 7 weeks in the other group. An acute asthmatic state was induced in both groups of animals by prolonged inhalation (for 40 min) of the mite extract, though it was not consistent. Anaphylaxis and death occurred in a few minutes in animals passively sensitised with sera of immunised guineapigs when they were given intravenous injections of the antigen.