Mario Geller

Studies on Alternaria allergens: III. Isolation of a major allergenic fraction (ALT-I)

The allergens present in crude Alternaria alternata extract were fractionated by sequential ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE cellulose ion-exchange chromatography, preparative flat-bed electrofocusing, and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. The carbohydrate-rich fraction isolated (Alt-I) was heterogeneous by polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis and by thin-layer electrofocusing. By preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the Alt-I fraction could be further separated into at least five subfractions, all of which contained similar allergenic activity. Significant elevations in IgE antibody to Alt-I were found in 21

Short-term efficacy trial and twenty-four-month follow-up of flunisolide nasal spray in the treatment of perennial rhinitis☆

Seventy-eight patients with perennial rhinitis underwent a double-blind, placebo-controlled. 12-wk trial with flunisolide nasal spray, a new potent topical steroid. Eighteen of these patients were followed in an open study and evaluated at intervals for side effects and dosage of spray used. Baseline and plasma cortisol concentrations were performed before and at the end of the 12-wk, double-blind period. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation testing was performed on six patients after 1 yr of flunisolide therapy at 300 micrograms/day or less. Flunisolide was found to be safe and effective over a short period. Over a 2-yr follow-up there were no serious side effects or evidence of adrenal suppression. Ten patients with perennial rhinitis continue to obtain subjective benefit after 2 yr of therapy with flunisolide nasal spray.

Serum IgE levels in giardiasis.

Raised levels of serum immunoglobulin E are found in many parasitic diseases. In order to determine the influence of Giardia lamblia on IgE levels of clinically symptomatic patients, a controlled study was performed. There was no difference between the serum IgE values from Brazilian patients with giardiasis and those from normal Brazilian controls, although in both groups there were many individuals with values higher than the normal range reported from the northern hemisphere.

Lymphopenia in acute nitrofurantoin pleuropulmonary reactions

Each of 5 patients with acute nitrofurantoin pleuropulmonary reactions had profound lymphopenia and 4 had eosinophilia developing early in the clinical course after the drug was withdrawn. The 2 patients tested had only one third of the normal numbers of E rosettes (T lymphocytes) in the peripheral blood during recovery. Lymphoblastic transformation tests with purified nitrofurantoin were done in 3 patients and all of them were negative; responses to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and pokeweed were decreased but still normal. The diagnosis of various nitrofurantoin hypersensitivity reactions relies on clinical data. The mechanisms of these reactions presently remain unclear.

HLA antigen frequencies in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

The frequency of HLA antigens in twenty‐two Caucasian patients with allergic broncho‐pulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and sixty‐nine unrelated Caucasian controls was determined. The results indicated that there was no increased frequency of a specific HLA antigen in patients with ABPA. Moreover, studies in thirteen families of ABPA patients also demonstrated that, within families, there was no consistent association between a specific haplotype and asthma, allergies or hay fever.

HLA antigen frequencies and natural history in Alternaria-sensitive and perennial nonallergic asthmatics.

The frequency of HLA-A, -B, and -C loci antigens in random populations of Alternaria-sensitive (N = 100) and perennial nonallergic asthmatics (N = 87) were compared with age- (+/- 5 yr) and sex-matched controls from the same geographic region. There was no association between HLA antigens as measured by frequency analyses and Alternaria-sensitive or perennial nonallergic asthma. Moreover there was no association between HLA antigens and the age of onset of asthma, associated allergic disorders, various environmental factors provoking asthma, total serum IgE levels, and Alternaria-specific IgE antibody.

Serum IgE levels in amoebiasis

Elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) are found in many parasitic diseases. In order to determine the influence of Entamoeba histolytica on IgE levels of clinically symptomatic patients with intestinal amoebiasis, a controlled study was performed. There was no difference between the serum IgE values from Brazilian patients with amoebiasis and those from age‐, race‐ and sex‐matched normal Brazilian controls. Based also on our previous similar studies on giardiasis and Chagas’ disease, we conclude that protozoan infections do not elevate serum IgE levels.

Absence of inhibitory effect of leprosy sera upon normal E rosetting.

Inhibitory serum factors in certain infectious diseases (leprosy, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis) and malignant conditions (Hodgkins disease, primary intracranial neoplasms) are said to be partially responsible for decreased cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and consequent anergy. The immunologic derangement in leprosy is not yet completely understood. In order to determine the effect of sera from patients with leprosy upon the rosetting capacity of normal T. lymphocytes, sera from untreated lepromatous (L) and tuberculoid (T) patients were studied. Control sera were obtained from normal volunteers and from patients with other dermatologic conditions (contact dermatitis and leg ulcer). The data indicated that test sera did not inhibit either spontaneous E rosette formation or active rosetting of normal lymphocytes.

Frequency of W4 and W6 antigens in perennial, nonallergic asthmatics

The frequency of W4 and W6 antigens was determined in 39 perennial, nonallergic asthmatics and 53 normal controls. The data indicated that the frequency of asthmatics homozygous for W4 or W6 was not different from the unrelated control population. Hence, our data dispute the hypothesis that intrinsic asthma is an autosomal-recessive disease associated with the W6 antigen.