Brian T. Butcher

Basidiomycete mycelia and spore-allergen extracts: Skin test reactivity in adults with symptoms of respiratory allergy

One hundred fifty adults, with respiratory-allergic disease, and 14 control subjects, without symptoms of respiratory allergy, were skin prick tested with 16 common inhalant allergens, 12 extracts of mycelia from Basidiomycetes grown in vitro, and/or 10 to 15 basidiospore extracts. Eighty-three subjects (58%) had positive skin tests to two or more of the common inhalant allergens. Twenty-seven percent of the study subjects had positive skin reactions to one or more of the Basidiomycete mycelia extracts, and 32% demonstrated positive skin reactions to one or more basidiospore extracts. None of the 14 control subjects had positive skin reactivity to basidiospore extracts. Skin prick reactivity of study subjects to 15 different basidiospore extracts ranged from 5% for Cantharellus cibarius to 17% for Scleroderma sp. The prevalence of skin test reactivity to basidiospores did not differ significantly from the reactivity to commercial mold extracts of several common species of the Fungi Imperfecti (6% for Cladosporium herbarum or Penicillium notatum to 13% for Alternaria tenuis). These results demonstrate that a significant number of individuals reporting symptoms of respiratory allergy have skin test reactivity to basidiospores and suggest that these spores are important fungal aeroallergens in the New Orleans environment.

Allergenicity and immunogenicity of basidiomycetes

Species selected from six families of the class Basidiomycetes were evaluated for allergenicity in atopic and nonatopic individuals and for immunogenicity and antigenic cross-reactivity in experimental animals. Between 42% and 68% of atopic asthmatics demonstrated positive Type 1 wheal-and-flare skin reactivity to basidiomycete metabolic and somatic antigens. Sixty-four percent of skin test-positive atopic asthmatics exhibited positive RAST to as basidiomycete metabolic antigen and 50% were positive to somatic antigen. Negative RAST results were obtained in all nonatopic control sera. Only an occasional individual demonstrated positive serum antibasidiomycete precipitins by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. All basidiomycete species studied were highly immunogenic in the rabbit and most appeared to contain an electrophoretically heterogenous group of antigens with predominant anodal mobility. Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis employing hyperimmune rabbit antisera indicated the presence of shared antigens among all basidiomycete species with the exception of Pleurotus. Rabbit antibasidiomycete sera did not cross-react with antigens of several common species of the Fungi imperfecti. Results indicate that many atopic asthmatics of the Gulf South area demonstrate IgE-medicated hypersensitivity to basidiomycete antigens as evidenced by positive wheal-and-flare skin reactivity and/or RAST. Basidiomycetes are also immunogenic in the rabbit and possess antigens that do not cross-react with those of certain Fungi imperfecti.

Coffee worker's asthma: A clinical appraisal using the radioallergosorbent test

Abstract Eight coffee workers with job-related respiratory symptoms were studied with water-soluble green coffee bean (GCB), castor bean (CaB), and factory dust (FD) antigens. Six workers described occupationally related asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and urticaria or pruritis and demonstrated positive wheal and flare skin tests with GCB and FD antigens. Serum radioallergosorbent test (RAST) indices ranged from 3 to 15 for GCB and 28 to 60 for CaB specificities. The other 2 coffee workers, who denied allergic symptoms, and 8 atopic and sex-matched control subjects demonstrated negative skin tests and RAST indices

Spectroscopic analysis of polymers of benzylpenicillin and ampicillin

Abstract The polymers of benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) and α-aminobenzylpenicillin (ampicillin) formed in aqueous solution were isolated by column chromatography and ultrafiltration. Infrared, uv, and nmr techniques were used to help elucidate the structures of these polymers. Penicilloic acid, penicillenic acid, and penamaldie acid residues were shown to be involved in the heterogenous materials, which were from 1000 to over 5000 in molecular weight. Ampicillin was shown to polymerize more readily because of the presence of the active benzylamine group.

Basidiomycete allergy: what is the best source of antigen?

Skin prick test activity and antigenicity of extracts of in vitro growth of the Basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) were compared to extracts of spores from PO growing in the wild. Patients demonstrated significant differences in skin test reactivity to the PO extracts. Some reacted only to in vitro growth extracts, others only to the spore extracts and 1 patient to all extracts. Further studies analyzed antigens present in all extracts with rabbit antisera to PO. Common as well as unique antigens were present in the spore extracts as compared to those from in vitro preparations. The fact that spores contain unique antigens suggests that basidiospores may be the best source of relevant allergens for clinical studies.

Studies on the Antigenic Composition of Aqueous Cotton Dust Extracts

An immune response to cotton dust components has been proposed as a possible mechanism of byssinosis. To evaluate this possibility, specific precipitating antibodies against aqueous cotton dust extracts (ACDE) were raised in rabbits, and a reference pattern for crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) was established using this extract. A significant portion of the immune response was directed against Alternaria tenuis, Aspergillus niger, and Fusarium solani, all documented contaminants of cotton dust. Preliminary crossed radio-immunoelectrophoretic studies demonstrated that some of these antigens are allergenic in man, suggesting that an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity against cotton dust, or a fungal component of the dust, may be important in byssinosis pathogenesis.

Imported fire ant (IFA) sensitivity: IFA-specific levels of serum IgG and IgG4

Imported fire ant (IFA) whole body extract (WBE) and venom (V)-specific IgG and IgG4 antibodies and specific IgE antibodies were evaluated in sera from 56 IFA-sensitive individuals (18 undergoing immunotherapy with IFAWBE and 38 individuals not being treated) and 44 nonatopic and atopic control subjects with no history of IFA allergy. Although there was no difference in the level of IFAWBE- or IFAV-specific IgG between treated and untreated patients, both groups had higher levels of IFAWBE- and IFAV-specific IgG (p less than 0.05) than did control subjects. Patients receiving treatment tended to have higher levels of IFAWBE-specific IgG4 than did either untreated patients (0.05 less than p less than 0.10) or control subjects (p less than 0.05). Levels of IFAV-specific IgG4 were higher in treated patients than in control subjects (p less than 0.05) but were not different between treated and untreated patients. Levels of IFAWBE- and IFAV-specific IgE antibodies did not differ between the two patient populations but were higher in both groups than in control subjects (p less than 0.05). The ratio of IgG4 to IgE (G4/E) for both IFAWBE and IFAV was calculated for all groups. The ratios of IFAWBE- and IFAV-specific G4/E were higher in treated patients and in control subjects as compared to nontreated patients (p less than 0.05). IFAV-specific G4/E ratios were lower in treated patients than in control subjects, but IFAWBE-specific G4/E ratios were the same as ratios for control subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biopolymerization of Peptide Antibiotics

In the course of research on penicillin allergy (1, 11, 12), it was found that natural penicillin and its chemical parent nucleus, 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) contained traces of a macromolecular proteinaceous residue with striking allergenic properties in human subjects. Efforts were then made in the laboratory to remove these residues, but were only partly successful, because of the formation by penicillin in solution of a second residue with the characteristics of a polymer (1, 12, 13, 15). This finding, since confirmed by other workers (5, 17) led to the examination of a range of penicillins, of the related β-lactam antibiotics cephalosporins and of bacitracin, which is also a cyclic oligopeptide antibiotic. Spontaneous polymerization occurred in all the antibiotics examined (16).

In vitro effects of aqueous cotton dust extract on leucocyte cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels.

Aqueous cotton dust extracts (ACDE) stimulated production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in normal human peripheral blood mononuclear leucotytes (MNL). This response was not due to prostaglandin production by monocytes or platelets in the cell preparation nor to stimulation of the beta-adrenergic or H2 receptors; however, desensitization experiments indicated that the response may be receptor mediated. The possible involvement of such receptor desensitization in byssinosis pathogenesis is discussed.

Biochemical and immunologic characterization of cotton bract extract and its effect on in vitro cyclic AMP production. I. Field-dried bract.

Field-dried cotton bract, a contaminant of cotton dust, has been implicated in byssinosis pathogenesis. The results from this study demonstrated that a standard bract extract (FDBE) could be prepared. FDBE was antigenic in rabbits; however, precipitating antibodies were not detectable in the serum of cotton textile mill workers. Although exposure of mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) to FDBE did not alter intracellular cyclic AMP levels, it did induce changes in the cyclic AMP response of MNL to isoproterenol and prostaglandin E1. These changes were FDBE dose-dependent. The possible relationship of these findings to pathogenesis of byssinosis is discussed.