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Biomedical subjects

K M Leiferman

Publications and source records attributed to K M Leiferman.

81 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Analysis of the potency of extracts of June grass pollen by their inhibitory capacities in the radioallergosorbent test.

The potencies of 11 commercial extracts of June grass pollen were analyzed by skin test end point titrations and compared to potencies as determined in vitro (1) by the radioallergosorbent test (RAST), (2) by Group I antigen content, and (3) by protein nitrogen units (PNU). RAST potencies were determined by the capacity of the extract to inhibit the binding of IgE antibody to solid-phase allergen, and they were expressed as the quantity of extract required for 50% inhibition of binding. Potencies determined by skin testing in 8 patients were significantly related among the various patients in 19 of 27 comparisons and showed differences of up to 95,000-fold in the strengths of the extracts. Estimation of potencies by RAST inhibition showed approximately a 100-fold difference among the extracts and in 5 of 8 cases these were significantly related to potencies measured by skin tests. Similarly, PNU determinations and Group I determinations were also significantly related to potencies by skin test titration in 5 of 8 and in 4 of 8 comparisons, respectively. Comparison of the geometric mean skin test potencies with RAST, PNU, and Group I potencies revealed that all were significantly related to skin test potencies although the correlation of RAST and skin potency was the highest. The results indicate that measurement of potency by RAST inhibition compares favorably with other in vitro measurements of potency. These results are compared with those of a prior study with extracts of short ragweed, and the reasons for the differences between the results in the two studies are discussed.

Absorption↗
PubMed1976

The cross-reactivity of IgE antibodies with pollen allergens. I. Analyses of various species of grass pollens.

Atopic patients with histories of grass pollen allergy often are sensitive to a variety of species of grasses. Using a serum pool from patients sensitive to June grass, we analyzed the reactivity of IgE antibodies to seven grasses by the radioallergosorbent test. Extracts were analyzed for their inhibitory activities with solid-phase allergens prepared from all of the grass pollen. Also samples of serum were exhaustively absorved with solid-phase allergens and the supernatants tested to determine the reactivity of the remaining IgE antibodies. Three patterns of reactivity were observed: (1) June, orchard, meadow fescue, and perennial rye grasses displayed similar reactivity in both inhibition and absorption studies; (2) sweet vernal and Bermuda grasses were considerably less reactive with the serum pool, indicating that they lacked antigenic determinants possessed by the other grasses; and (3) timothy grass possessed unique antigenic determinants. Knowledge of these patterns of cross-allergenicity is of importance for diagnosis and treatment of sensitive patients as well as for in vitro standardization of extracts.

Absorption↗
PubMed1976

The cross-reactivity of IgE antibodies with pollen allergens. II. Analyses of various species of ragweed and other fall weed pollens.

Although the antigenic composition of short ragweed pollen has been extensively investigated, very few studies have analyzed the allergenic cross-reactivity among various types of ragweed pollens. Using a serum pool from patients sensitive to short ragweed, we studied the cross-reactivity of IgE antibodies to six ragweeds by the radioallergosorbent test. Extracts were analyzed for their inhibitory activities with solid-phase allergens prepared from all of the ragweed pollens. Also, samples of serum were absorbed with the various solid-phase allergens and the reactivity of the remaining IgE antibodies was determined. Two patterns of reactivity were observed. Short, giant, western, and false ragweeds displayed comparable reactivity in both inhibition and absorption experiments. Slender and southern ragweed were considerably less active, indicating that they lacked allergenic groupings possessed by the other species. These same patterns of cross-reactivity were found using ragweed pollens from four commercial sources. Knowledge of these patterns of cross-allergenicity is of importance for diagnosis and treatment of sensitive patients as well as for in vitro standardization of extracts.

Absorption↗
PubMed1975

The effect of cromolyn sodium powder as a treatment for ragweed pollinosis.

The effect of treating ragweed pollinosis with intranasal cromolyn sodium powder was evaluated in 26 patients in a double-blind clinical study. Thirteen matched patient pairs were treated by either nasal insufflation of cromolyn sodium powder, 20 mg three times daily, or by a placebo powder. Patients were monitored for severity of symptoms by means of daily symptom diaries collected weekly throughout the pollen season. Serum samples were obtained in July prior to the ragweed season and following the ragweed season during the first and fourth weeks of October for the determination of ragweed-specific IgE antibody levels by the radioallergosorbent test. A significant reduction in symptom severity was observed in the treated patients with high preseasonal levels of IgE antibody to ragweed. Initially the levels of IgE antibody to ragweed did not differ between the two groups. IgE antibody levels increased in both groups after pollen exposure, but the treated group showed a significantly greater rise in IgE antibody levels. The results suggest that treatment with cromolyn sodium enhanced IgE antibody response to pollen exposure and significantly reduced the severity of hay fever symptoms in patients with high preseasonal levels of IgE antibody to ragweed.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1975

The effect of immune milk as a treatment for ragweed pollinosis.

The effect of treating ragweed hay fever with oral hyperimmune milk globulin was evaluated in a double-blind study. Thirteen matched patient pairs were treated with capsules containing either specific protein isolated from the colostrum of cows that had been hyperimmunized with fall pollen allergens or with placebo. The results suggest that immune milk treatment did not alter IgE antibody response after pollen exposure; neither was immune milk markedly better than placebo in controlling symptoms.

Animals↗