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Complement activation by commercial allergen extracts of cereal grains *
Author(s) -
OLENCHOCK S. A.,
MULL J. C.,
MAJOR P. C.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1980.tb02122.x
Subject(s) - allergen , complement system , chemistry , in vivo , classical complement pathway , alternative complement pathway , immunology , in vitro , ingestion , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , food science , biochemistry , biology , allergy
Summary Commercial allergen extract preparations of whole cereal grains were examined in vitro for their reactivity with the human haemolytic complement cascade. Total haemolytic complement was consumed in a dose‐dependent manner which did not correlate with the protein nitrogen content or bacterial endotoxin contamination of the extracts. Alternative pathway activation was shown by C3 conversion in the presence of EGTA while classical complement components C1, C4 and C2 were also much decreased in serum which was free of detectable specific antibody. Very small amounts of allergen extract initiated the formation of complement‐dependent factors which were chemotactic for human polymorphonuclear leucocytes. These data suggest a potential for complement activation in vivo by ingestion, inhalation, or injection of cereal grain products.