Allergen respiratory

Bronchial asthma is defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs it affects an estimated 9 to 12 million individuals in the U.S. Furthermore, its prevalence has been increasing in recent years. Asthma is characterized by reversible airway obstruction (in particular, bronchospasm), airway inflammation, and increased airway responsiveness to a variety of bronchoactive stimuli. Many factors may induce an asthmatic attack, including allergens respiratory infections hyperventilation cold air exercise various drugs and chemicals emotional upset and airborne pollutants (smog, cigarette smoke). 

Parvalbumin was found to be a major fish allergen in approximately 70% of fish allergies, mediated by parvalbumin IgE antibodies, leading to respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. Parvalbumin also became of interest because of its potential use in gene therapy to correct cardiomyopathy. 

Anaphylaxis most commonly starts with symptoms on the skin or the respiratory tract (table 2). The symptomatology is variable there is no obligatory involvement of all organ systems. A major characteristic of anaphylaxis is the rather rapid onset of symptoms after contact with the elicitor. The interval varies between a few seconds or minutes until 1 or 2 h, partly dependent upon the route of application (rapid onset after intravenous allergen exposure) and degree of sensitization. Experience in insect sting anaphylaxis in... 

Plants are detrimental in many ways to the health and well-being of man. It is difficult to quantify the health aspects of weeds. Weeds known to produce allergenic reactions in humans can be divided into two major groups. One group produces skin eruption as a result of bodily contact with the plant, while the other produces symptoms usually affecting the respiratory tract through inhalation of pollen grains. 

The response varies, depending on the individual and the allergen. The worst case is that anaphylactic shock arises when gastrointestinal, cutaneous and respiratory symptoms occur in conjunction with a dramatic fall in blood pressure and cardiovascular complications. Death can occur within minutes of anaphylactic shock. Table 4 lists the other symptoms of IgE allergy. 

High-efficiency particulate air filters can remove lightweight particles such as pollens, mold spores, and cat allergen, thereby reducing allergic respiratory symptoms. 

Sarlo, K. and Clark, E.D., A tier approach for evaluating the respiratory allergenicity of low molecular weight chemicals, Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 18, 107, 1992. 

Sarlo, K., et al., Respiratory allergenicity of detergent enzymes in the guinea pig intratracheal test association with sensitization of occupationally exposed individuals, Fundam. Appl. Toxicol., 39, 44, 1997. 

Hilton, J., et al., The mouse IgE test for the identification of potential chemical respiratory allergens considerations of stability and controls, J. Appl. Toxicol., 16, 165, 1996. 

Over the past decade, there have been considerable advances in our understanding of the immunobiological mechanisms that result in the quality of immune response necessary for the induction of chemical respiratory allergy. Experiments designed to characterize immune responses in mice to chemical sensitizers have demonstrated that different classes of chemical allergen stimulate the development of qualitatively discrete immune responses consistent with the selective emergence of functional subpopulations of T lymphocytes [16]. Thus, topical exposure of BALB/c strain mice to chemical contact allergens such as 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) results in the induction of... 

Cytokine profiling has also been measured as a function of changes in cytokine mRNA expression using either reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) [87, 91-93] or ribonuclease protection assay (RPA) [94-97], Measurement of cytokine transcripts by RT-PCR revealed that prolonged exposure to TMA induced increased levels of IL-4 mRNA expression compared with treatment with DNCB [87,92-93]. However, expression of the type 1 cytokine IFN-y by DNCB-activated LNC was variable and failed to discriminate between contact and respiratory allergens [87,91,93). A similar profile was observed for freshly isolated tissue analyzed by RPA. This somewhat less... 

Dearman, R J. and Kimber, I., Differential stimulation of immune function by respiratory and contact chemical allergens. Immunology, 72, 563, 1991. 

Dearman, R J. et al., Differential ability of occupational chemical contact and respiratory allergens to cause immediate and delayed dermal hypersensitivity reactions in mice. Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol., 97, 315, 1992. 

Hilton, J. et al., Identification of chemical respiratory allergens Dose response relationships in the mouse IgE test. Toxicol. Methods, 5, 51, 1995. 

Warbrick, E.V. et al., Analysis of cytokine mRN A expression following repeated exposure of mice to chemical contact and respiratory allergens. J. Appl. Toxicol., 18, 205, 1998. 

Several instances of respiratory sensitisation resulting from exposure to reactive dyes have been reported. If an individual becomes sensitised to reactive dyes, it is essential that any future contact with these dyes or other respiratory allergens be avoided. Subsequent exposures may cause anaphylactic shock and can progress into convulsions, coma and death. As yet, there is no animal test that can be used to predict reliably the potential of a reactive dye to cause respiratory sensitisation [1]. 

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