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Biomedical subjects

S G Johansson

Publications and source records attributed to S G Johansson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Allergic urticaria and angioedema caused by a hemostatic sponge of bovine fibrin used in tooth extraction.

We report the case of a 54-year-old woman with no history of atopic diseases or drug allergies who developed a generalized anaphylactic reaction with urticaria and angioedema a few hours after tooth extraction. The skin scratch and RAST tests demonstrated IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to the product Hémofibrine, a hemostatic sponge made of bovine fibrin. Of all RAST controls, only one serum with known positivity to bovine serum albumin (BSA) showed a low degree of positivity to Hémofibrine. Bovine fibrin should be added to the list of medical products that can elicit allergic reactions following dental treatment.

Anaphylaxis↗
PubMed1996

ELISA method for detection of mite allergens in barn dust: comparison with mite counts.

ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) inhibition with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) (42B6) to Lepidoglyphus destructor was used to detect and quantify the storage-mite allergens in 30 dust samples collected from barns. Regarding the mite fauna, microscopic inspection of the barn dust and mite counts showed that L. destructor infested all 30 barns investigated (range 430-195 400 mites/g dust). In 29/30 barns, L. destructor constituted more than 70% of the Astigmata species. Acarus siro was found in 26 samples, the highest value being 16155 mites/g. No Dermatophagoides species were found. As to mites of the suborder of Prostigmata, species belonging to seven different families were detected. Besides the predominant L. destructor, allergens derived from other storage mites such as Glycyphagus domesticus, A. siro, and Tyrophagus putrescentiae have previously been assessed by this ELISA method. The correlation between number of mites and concentrations of mite antigen as measured by ELISA was assessed by linear regression (r2 = 0.83). Thus, inhibition of mAb 42B6 in ELISA would seem to offer a simple and reliable method to detect levels of dust-mite species belonging to the Acaridae and Glycyphagidae families.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
PubMed1996

Detection of naproxen-induced intestinal permeability change may be facilitated by adding a standardized meal but not by forming marker ratios.

BACKGROUND: We recently compared the intestinal permeability markers polysucrose (PS) 15,000, 51Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and 14C-mannitol in healthy humans. We have now studied the ability of these markers to show non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced intestinal damage, with special regard to the possibility of improving discrimination versus healthy intestine by using a hyperosmolar test solution, adding a standardized liquid meal, calculating paracellular/ transcellular marker excretion ratios, or correcting excretion values for urinary volume. METHODS: Seventeen healthy volunteers ingested a solution containing PS 15,000, 51Cr-EDTA, and 14C-mannitol before and after 1 week of naproxen intake, the solution being isosmolar, hyperosmolar, or isosmolar and followed by a standardized liquid meal. Fractional urinary excretion of the substances was measured over 0-4 h, 4-8 h, and 8-12 h. RESULTS: The excretion of the paracellular permeability markers PS 15,000 and 51Cr-EDTA increased after NSAID pretreatment, whereas that of the transcellular marker 14C-mannitol was unaffected. A standardized liquid meal reduced test variability for all markers and tended to improve differentiation between diseased and healthy intestine. A hyperosmolar test solution tended to improve differentiation for 51Cr-EDTA but not for PS 15,000. Calculating a paracellular/transcellular ratio or correcting excretion values for urinary volume did not improve the differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized liquid meal may improve the capacity of permeability tests to distinguish between healthy and NSAID-damaged intestine.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Development of atopic disease during childhood and its prediction by Phadiatop Paediatric.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating in vivo and/or in vitro tests for 'early' prediction of childhood allergy is of interest in paediatric allergology. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the measurement of Phadiatop Paediatric (PP) during early childhood could be used to predict the development of atopic disease during the first 5 years of life among infants with a family history of atopic disease. METHODS: Phadiatop Paediatric was evaluated in 134 infants. The analysis was performed at 6 months, at 18 months and at 5 years of age and the numbers of available serum samples were 61, 85 and 134, respectively. The potential capacity of the test to predict the development of atopic disease was studied by relating the result of the test, a positive or a negative score, to the accumulated incidence of atopic diseases from birth to 18 months of age and from birth to 5 years of age. RESULTS: Three of four children with a positive PP at 6 months of age developed clinical signs/symptoms of atopic disease before 18 months and all four before 5 years of age. The predictive value of a positive test at 18 months for symptoms before 5 years of age was 80% (12/15). If the diagnostic criterion, instead of clinical signs/symptoms of atopic disease, was at least one positive skin-prick test to major food or inhalant allergens, the predictive value of a positive PP-test at 18 months decreased to 53% (8/15). CONCLUSION: Although the presence of circulating IgE antibodies, as detected by Phadiatop Paediatric, can predict the development of atopic diseases during childhood, the usefulness of the test is limited by its low sensitivity (22-47%).

Allergens↗
PubMed1996

The degree of natural allergen exposure modifies eosinophil activity markers in the circulation of patients with mild asthma.

We have previously found that CD9, CD11b, and intracellular ECP (EG2) may be used as activity markers for eosinophils in vitro. The main object of the present study was to determine whether these markers can reflect eosinophil activation in vivo in relation to allergen exposure. for this purpose, six patients with a history of allergic rhinitis and occasional asthma symptoms during the pollen season participated. Blood donors served as controls. Peripheral blood eosinophils were analyzed according to the FOG method and flow cytometry, before and during one birch pollen season with high pollen load (HPL) and one with low pollen load (LPL). The CD9 expression on peripheral eosinophils from the patients was significantly increased both before (P < 0.05) and during (P < 0.01) HPL season, and CD11b expression solely during HPL season (P = 0.01) as compared to controls. The intracellular expression of the EG2 epitope was increased before (P < 0.01) and during (P < 0.05) HPL season, and increased significantly (P < 0.05) during season as compared to before. No changes were observed before and during LPL season. The proportion of eosinophils was increased both before (P < 0.05) and during (P < 0.001) the HPL season as compared to controls. The markers CD9, EG2, and, to a lesser extent, CD11b seem to detect activated eosinophils in the circulation, whereas EG2 may also reflect increased antigen exposure during season.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Ketoconazole in atopic dermatitis: therapeutic response is correlated with decrease in serum IgE.

The prevalence of specific IgE antibodies to the yeasts Pityrosporum orbiculare and Candida albicans was investigated in adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) or with seborrhoeic dermatitis and in healthy controls by means of the radioallergosorbent test (RAST). Of 63 AD patients, 28 (44%) had IgE antibodies to P. orbiculare and 21 (33%) to C. albicans. This is highly significant, since no antibodies were found in sera from other patients or controls. With the intention to treat, 20 patients with AD and a positive RAST to P. orbiculare were given ketoconazole 200 mg daily for 2 months and 200 mg twice weekly for further 3 months. The clinical scores improved during treatment with a reduction in the levels of specific IgE to P. orbiculare and total serum IgE. However, there were no correlations between clinical score and serum levels of P. orbiculare-specific IgE. C. albicans-specific IgE, on the other hand, correlated both with clinical score and with total serum IgE.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Screening of atopic allergy in 5-year-old children--a comparison of the diagnostic properties of Phadiatop Paediatric and Phadiatop.

The ability of Phadiatop Paediatric (PP), Phadiatop (P), mixed-food RAST (MF), and the combination of P and MF to identify children with atopic allergy was evaluated among 193 children who had a family history of atopic disease, and who had an average age of 5 years. If atopy is defined as the presence of at least one positive skin prick test (> or = 2+) to common food and/or inhalant allergens, P had a sensitivity of 86%, a specificity of 94%, and an efficacy of 92%. These figures were somewhat better than the results with PP. However, when P was combined with MF, the sensitivity increased to 89%, but at the expense of lowered specificity (83%) and efficacy (84%). If the tests were related only to clinical signs/symptoms of atopic disease, the sensitivity and efficacy were, at maximum, 63% and 81%, respectively. There was a discrepancy between the results of P and PP in 9% of the children. One explanation of this discrepancy may be that PP seems to be incapable of detecting children with respiratory allergies induced by pollens from birch and related trees. The results indicate that in 5-6-year-old children P should be preferred to PP and to the combination of P and MF for atopy screening, at least in places where birch pollen is a common allergen.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1995

Latex allergens in glove-powdering slurries.

Exposure to airborne glove powder contaminated with latex allergens is known to provoke respiratory symptoms in latex-sensitized individuals. In the commonly used wet-powdering process in glove manufacturing, powder is applied by dipping gloves in a cornstarch suspension, a slurry. The slurry is a potential source of allergen contamination of the powder. The protein and latex allergen contents in five different slurries and in extracts from the corresponding latex gloves were measured using the BCA assay and the IgE antibody inhibition assay (EAI assay). Latex allergens were found in all slurries and gloves. No correlation between the values of protein contents and allergen contents was found. Wet powdering of gloves induces a risk of latex protein contamination of the cornstarch.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

IgG1 and IgG4 antibody responses to the dust mite Lepidoglyphus destructor in a naturally exposed farming population.

The natural humoral immune response to the dust mite Lepidoglyphus destructor was assessed by comparing the IgG1 and IgG4 responses elicited in allergic (n = 44) and healthy (n = 16) individuals in a farming population chronically exposed to this allergen. With the aid of an immunoblotting technique and ELISA, the sera were analyzed for anti-L. destructor antibodies. While the majority of sera from the allergy group displayed several bands for both IgG1 and IgG4, the nonatopic healthy group was negative as analyzed in immunoblotting. When they were analyzed in ELISA, there was a significantly higher response in the allergy group than in the healthy group for IgG4, but not for IgG1. Taken together, these results imply that the immune system of individuals spared from allergic reactions to L. destructor not only lacks IgE antibodies but also seems largely to "ignore" these allergens/antigens despite exposure.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1995

IgE-mediated allergy to wood dusts probably does not explain the high prevalence of respiratory symptoms among Swedish woodwork teachers.

A previous study revealed an increased occurrence of work-related respiratory complaints among Swedish woodwork teachers. For determination of whether an IgE-mediated mechanism was the cause of the symptoms, 127 woodwork teachers and 111 reference subjects (other school personnel) in Stockholm gave serum for analysis of total IgE, Phadiatop, and RAST to extract of sawdust from five commonly used Scandinavian woods (pine, birch, juniper, alder, and linden). The total serum-IgE level was similar in the woodwork teachers (geometric mean 35, range < 2-1700 kU/l) and the reference group (34, < 2-860 kU/l), and the frequency of positive Phadiatop was equal (29.9% and 31.5%, respectively). RAST was positive only in three cases, two reference subjects (birch and pine) and one woodwork teacher (alder). Hence, no correlation between exposure and sensitization to wood dust was found, and the results do not support the assumption that the complaints related to exposure to dusts from the examined Scandinavian woods are IgE mediated.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Neonatal IgA and IgE levels among infants with paternal heredity for atopic disease.

Serum IgA and IgE levels were studied in the postnatal period in 21 infants having a paternal heredity of atopic disease. Three different sampling techniques were used, aspirated cord blood (CB), gravity-collected cord blood, and capillary collected blood at 4-5 days of age. Significant differences among the three sampling techniques were recorded for IgA (P < 0.01), but not for IgE. The IgA levels decreased from birth to 4-5 days of age in 90% (19/21 of infants (P < 0.01). The corresponding decrease in IgE levels was 20%. This postnatal difference in the frequency of decreasing/increasing IgA and IgE levels was significant (P < 0.05). An analysis of CB IgA to detect maternal contamination of CB was found to be of questionable value, since only 50% (2/4) of the cases with an elevated CB-IgA level could be considered contaminated. The results of this study further emphasize that aspiration of CB and capillary collection of blood at 4-5 days of age are the best sampling techniques to avoid contamination. The general finding that paternal heredity had no significant influence on infant IgE contrasts with the strong influence of maternal heredity. Further studies will show whether the explanation lies in genetic or transplacental factors, or in both kinds of factors.

Fetal Blood↗
PubMed1995

Demonstration of specific high-affinity Fc epsilon-receptors on the human basophil-like leukemia cell line KU812 by flow cytometry.

The specificity of IgE binding to a human basophil-like cell line (KU812) was studied by flow cytometry. Four IgE myeloma proteins, representing both light-chain types, one chimeric IgE protein, and polyclonal serum IgE blocked the direct binding of FITC-labeled IgE(DES) myeloma protein to KU812 cells in a dose-dependent and nearly equimolar way. Although not as efficiently as human IgE (from five to eight times less on a molar basis), both rat and mouse IgE blocked IgE(DES)-FITC binding to KU812 cells. In sharp contrast, all four human IgG subclasses, both IgA subclasses, and IgM myeloma proteins, as well as monomeric and heat-aggregated polyclonal human IgG, were unable to block significantly IgE(DES)-FITC binding to KU812 cells (< 0.5% on a molar basis). The cytophilic epitope on IgE was heat-susceptible (56 degrees C, 2 h), lost after reduction alkylation, and resident in the papain-derived Fc epsilon-fragment, but not in the papain-derived Fab epsilon- and Fc'epsilon-fragments nor in the pepsin-derived F(ab')2 epsilon- and Fc"epsilon-fragments. Washing and displacement experiments indicated that a major part of IgE reacted with high affinity to KU812 cells. The results indicate that the binding of IgE to KU812 cells is highly specific and involves the classical high-affinity Fc epsilon RI-receptor. Although the density of receptors is low, this human cell line offers a unique model to study IgE/Fc epsilon RI interactions.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Anaphylactic reaction caused by neoallergens in heated pecan nut.

An atopic girl experienced an anaphylactic reaction after eating cookies containing pecan nuts. Investigations revealed that she had developed IgE antibodies exclusively specific against allergenic determinants present in aged or heated pecan nuts, but not in fresh pecans. These neoallergenic determinants were located on protein(s) with a molecular weight of approximately 15 kDa. Neoallergens appearing during heating or storing of foods may be important in some anaphylactic reactions.

Allergens↗