Koichiro Kudo

IgG1 Antibodies to House Dust Mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) and Late Asthmatic Response

Thirteen asthmatic patients sensitive to mite were challenged by inhalation of an extract of mites (Dermatophagoides farinae). Seven showed dual bronchial reactions and 5 showed isolated immediate responses. No patient showed an isolated late reaction. Six of seven patients with dual reaction had higher IgG1 antibodies than the 5 patients with isolated immediate reaction when examined before the challenge. A similar result was obtained in terms of levels of immune complex. IgE, IgG4 and total IgG antibodies were not predictive for late reaction. These results suggest that there is a close correlation of the presence of high IgG1 antibodies with a propensity to develop late asthmatic responses. The meaning of this observation is discussed.

Auranofin, an oral chrysotherapeutic agent, inhibits histamine release from human basophils

The effect of auranofin, an oral chrysotherapeutic agent, on histamine release from human basophils was studied. Auranofin inhibited IgE-mediated, anti-IgE-induced histamine release in a dose-dependent fashion with a concentration of drug required to produce 50% inhibition of 1.3 micrograms/ml. This compound also inhibited calcium ionophore A23187 and 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate-induced histamine release with a concentration of drug required to produce 50% inhibition of 1.7 micrograms/ml and 0.9 micrograms/ml, respectively. Auranofin was less active for formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine-induced release of histamine with 32 +/- 10% (mean +/- SEM) inhibition at 2 micrograms/ml. Auranofin effects were reversible when leukocytes preincubated with auranofin was washed with buffer. In contrast, gold sodium thiomalate enhanced IgE-mediated histamine release, suggesting that these two compounds exert their actions at different levels. These results suggest that auranofin may be beneficial to patients with allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma.

IgE Levels in Nude Mice

IgE levels in nude mice were estimated by the one-step single radial radiodiffusion method antisera prepared by immunization of guinea pigs with an IgE-rich fraction obtained from sera of normal mice infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and immunized with DNP-ovalbumin in alum gel. 3 out of 8 nude mice had IgE levels significantly higher than those of normal mice.

Treatment of NZB/W F1 mice with NZW splenic T cells or with serum of mice experiencing the graft-versus-host reaction: Suppression of ongoing anti-double-stranded (ds) DNA antibody formation and improvement of renal function

Seven-month-old NZB/W F1 mice were inoculated with 5 X 10(7) NZW spleen cells. The mice so treated showed a clear fall of anti-double-stranded (ds) DNA antibody titers accompanied by a decrease in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration. Mice so treated showed markedly increased survival times (more than 17 months) compared with untreated controls (mean +/- SD 8.38 +/- 0.75 months). A cell fractionation study suggested that T cells among NZW spleen cells play a major role. Recipients of the unfractionated or the T-cell fraction of NZW spleen cells had histologically less glomerulonephritis than untreated control NZB/W F1 mice. NZW B-cell transfer to NZB/W F1 mice had no effect. Serum obtained from NZB/W F1 mice receiving NZW spleen cells 10 days previously (graft-vs-host (GVHR) serum) was injected into 8-month-old NZB/W F1 mice. A clear fall in anti-ds DNA antibody titers and inhibition of age-associated sharp increases in BUN were observed. The mean life span of these mice (10.50 +/- 0.58 months) was significantly longer than that of untreated controls (8.69 +/- 0.38 months). GVHR serum had the ability to suppress anti-ds DNA antibody formation by NZB/W F1 spleen cells in vitro. Allogeneic GVHR serum prepared in C57B1/6 X DBA/2 (BDF1) mice by transferring C57B1/6 spleen cells was also effective in suppressing anti-ds DNA antibody formation in vitro.