Allen W. Benton

A controlled trial of immunotherapy in insect hypersensitivity.

Insect hypersensitivity is currently treated by immunization using whole-body extracts. We compared this regimen with immunotherapy using insect venoms or placebo in groups of 20 patients matched for history and sensitivity, as judged by venom skin test, histamine release and IgE antibody to venom. After six to 10 weeks of immunization, systemic reactions to stings occurred in seven of 12, seven of 11, and one of 18 patients treated with placebo, whole-body extract, and venom, respectively. Placebo and whole-body extract gave similar results and were significantly less effective than venom immunotherapy (P less than 0.01). The 14 patients with failure of treatment with whole-body extract and placebo were subsequently provided with venom immunotherapy; one reacted to a subsequent sting. We conclude that venom immunotherapy is clinically superior to therapy on whole-body extract or placebo.

Composition of freshly harvested and commercial royal jelly

SummaryRoyal jelly from Apis mellifera ligustica was examined by proximate analysis, amino acid analysis and chromatographic characterization of methylated fatty-acids using a pattern-recognition method. Crude protein was 11·9%, crude moisture 67·1% and crude lipid 4–3%. Amino acid analysis showed 17 standard protein amino acids and 5 unidentified ninhydrin-positive compounds. Aspartic acid was the major amino acid, at 16·1% of the protein content. The major fatty-acid, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid was present at an average concentration of 50·3% of the total fatty acid content. The gross composition of 11 commercial royal jelly products was compared to that of the pure royal jelly used in this study. Six commercial royal jelly products were found to be adulterated.

Sulfur dioxide: Sulfite. Interaction with mammalian serum and plasma.

The chemistry of sulfite-bisulfite (the hydrate of sulfur dioxide in mammalian plasma and serum was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The longevity of sulfite in contact with mammalian plasma and known components of blood was determined by adaptation of a colorimetric method for sulfite analysis. Evidence from all experiments indicated that, under physiological conditions, sulfite reacts reversibly with disulfide bonds present in the plasma resulting in formation of S-sulfonates (sulfitolysis). Free sulfite was not detected in plasma of rabbits immediately following exposure to approximately 25 ppm SO2, but there was good evidence for substantial elevation of plasma and serum S-sulfonate content. Reactivity of sulfite with plasma constituents may protect many body tissues from the insult of relatively high concentrations of sulfite and may facilitate prolonged exposure to very low levels of sulfite.

The Relationship Between the Amount of Unsealed Brood in Honeybee Colonies and Their Pollen Collection

SummaryIn 1968 and 1969 six experiments on groups of 6–9 colonies fitted with pollen traps showed that: (1) there was a significant correlation between the amount of unsealed brood and the amount of pollen collected during each experimental period; (2) queenless colonies without brood collected only small amounts of pollen; (3) colonies which had similar amounts of unsealed brood collected different amounts of pollen at different locations and in different months.

Allergy to insect sting: III. Allergenic cross-reactivity among the vespid venoms

Recent reports have indicated that venoms may be more beneficial than whole body extracts for the diagnosis and treatment of Hymenoptera sensitive patients. These studies were undertaken to determine the cross-reactivity among the vespid venoms. Eighteen patients who were anaphylactically sensitive to vespid venoms were studied using in vitro leukocyte histamine release. The results (venom concentration for 50% histamine release) were analyzed by linear regression analysis; there was no allergenic cross-reactivity between any of the venoms, except for a modest association between yellow hornet and white hornet venom. In spite of this result 13 of the 18 patients studied were sensitive to three or four of the venoms tested. There is no clear explanation for this observation, but it suggests the existence of multiple major allergens in the vespid venoms, some of which are cross-reactive. Since immunotherapy with inappropriate proteins may lead to the development of IgE and the possibility of clinical sensitivity and since the majority of patients were not sensitive to all venom preparations, we suggest that appropriate diagnostic studies be carried out before the institution of therapy.

Esterases and Phosphatases of Honeybee Venom

SUMMARYIt is established that honeybee venom contains an α esterase and a β esterase, and two alkaline and three acid phosphatases. The probable presence of two further acid phosphatases is indicated through the use of Naphthyl AS phosphates as substrate. Such enzymes were previously reported to be absent in bee venom (Schoetensack, 1953).

Isolation of a neurotoxin with a presynaptic action from the venom of the black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans, Fabr.)

Abstract Whole venom gland homogenates from the black widow spider were fractionated by discontinuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Eleven fractions were extracted from gel sections and assayed for toxicity by injection into cockroach nymphs and by application to cockroach neuromuscular preparation. One of the fractions, a slowly migrating protein with a molecular weight of 125,000, produced a slow permanent paralysis and accounted for the major action of crude venom by inducing a large transient rise in the miniature endplate potential frequency and eventual synaptic failure. A possible second neurotoxin with a different action has also been isolated.

The effect of the venom of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., on the adrenocortical response of the adult male rat☆

Abstract Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with pure honey bee venom and the serum corticosterone levels determined fluorometrically 1, 4, 8, and 24 hr after a single venom injection. Other rats received venom injections twice a week for a period of eight weeks during which serum corticosterone levels were determined as well as after a 4-week recovery period. In the acute study significant elevations in serum corticosterone levels occurred for periods up to 8 hr in those animals receiving the highest venom dose. The other experimental groups exhibited significantly elevated levels for periods up to 1 hr. The corticosterone levels of the injected groups were not significantly different from that of the controls 24 hr following injection. Large amounts of honey bee venom injected chronically were required to produce increases in adrenal gland corticosterone production. In vivo findings were confirmed by incubating the adrenal glands of the experimental animals in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer and fluorometrically determining the in vitro corticosterone production. Possible mechanisms of action of the venom are discussed.

A qualitative and quantitative analysis of proteins found in vespid venoms

Diagnosis and immunotherapy with venom extracts of patients sensitive to Hymenoptera stings has led to the problem of improving the standardization of Hymenoptera venom products. Current methods of standardization use the Lowry protein determination and a radial-diffusion assay for hyaluronidase activity. This study demonstrates that the results of these analyses do not always correlate with the actual quantity of allergenic protein present in the extracts. A method of standardization is examined herein that uses polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to quantitate phospholipase A, antigen 5, and hyaluronidase, the proteins that together comprise most allergenic protein present in the venoms. Also discussed in this study is the biochemical variability of phospholipase A and antigen 5 in the venoms of the different vespid species examined.

Rates of Growth of Honeybee Larvae

SummaryGrowth rates of honeybee larvae (Apis mellifera) were determined in the period April-July by weighing individual larvae at definite age intervals. Larval weight was correlated to larval age and the relationship expressed in terms of regression equations. A coefficient of variation of 20% was established as a maximum acceptable variation for pooled samples of 20 larvae.