Allergenic activity of fractions of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) pollen

A cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) pollen extract has been fractionated by isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel, the separated components extracted from the gel and assayed by three methods: prick tests in human skin, RAST and PCA tests in monkey skin. Prick testing in human skin showed that subjects responded differently to the separated components, indicating the presence of more than one antigenic determinant, and a prolile of antibody activity against each fraction could be constructed. In general, good agreement was observed between RAST profiles and skin test profiles, although some patients who gave positive skin tests lacked circulating IgE and consequently did not give a RAST profile or a monkey PCA. These studies emphasize the current difficulty in attempting to isolate a single pure allergen from cocksfoot which can be used either diagnostically for the detection of pollen allergy, or for the standardization of diagnostic extracts.     

THE EFFECT OF A LONG-TERM EXERCISE PROGRAMME ON THE RHEUMATOID HAND

Forty-four female patients with sero-positive active RA participatedin a 48-month trial to assess the effect of simple hand exercises.Twenty-two patients in the test group were given a daily exerciseregime of six exercises. The control group were not given anyexercises. At the end of 48 months there was a statisticallysignificant improvement in grip strength (P<0.0001) and pincergrip strength (P<0.0005) in the test group. There was a significantdeterioration in the control group (P<0.0000). A simple exerciseprogramme is beneficial for the rheumatoid hand as far as gripand pincer grip strength are concerned. KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid hand, Exercise, Grip strength, Pincer grip strength, Metacarpophalangeal joints, Proximal inter-phalangeal joints     

Familial human short-term sensitizing (IgG S-TS) antibody

Skin tests on a middle-aged English housewife (the initial case) with a history of seasonal grass pollen rhinitis and asthma showed strong immediate and late reactions to grass pollens. Early in the grass pollen season, 1976, RAST showed normal levels of IgE antibodies in the serum. Passive transfer in Rhesus monkey skin was also negative for heat-labile IgE but gave a very vigorous reaction for short-term sensitizing heat-stable IgG antibody (IgG S-TS Ab). Skin tests and studies on sera from other members of the family showed that another five also formed IgG S-TS Ab, and indicated that the ability to form this antibody was familial. One member of the family had only an immediate reaction on skin testing, and much IgE to grass pollen. Towards the end of the grass pollen season the IgE titre in the initial case had been tripled and the IgG S-TS Ab had disappeared. By September the specific IgE titre had risen even further.     

Activity units for allergen extracts

The two present systems of units for the strength of allergen extracts, Noon and p.n.u. are both unsatisfactory. A new activity unit, based on skin prick in humans, is described, and its relationship to in vitro tests is explored. Potency limits for provocation materials used for skin prick tests are suggested.     

THE PREVALENCE OF OSTEOARTHROSIS IN A RURAL AFRICAN COMMUNITY

Osteoarthrosis occurs in all population groups throughout theworld. However, the pattern of the condition may differ considerablyamongst various developing, traditionally living people, perhapsbecause of their different living habits, occupational factorsand genetics. The distribution and prevalence of osteoarthrosisin a developing African population are reported in this paper. A radiological survey of the hands and feet of 543 adult respondentswas undertaken. The prevalence of multiple osteoarthrosis andHeberden's nodes was very low. There was a sharp rise in theprevalence of osteoarthrosis after the age of 40 years. Theprevalence in males and females was very similar; a findingwhich agrees with previous African studies but is in contrastto Caucasian surveys. We also found more distal interphalangealinvolvement in males than in females. The incidence of proximalinterphalangeal involvement was very similar to that reportedin other published studies.     

Collaborative clinical assay of the biological potency of allergen skin-test extracts

A multicentre collaborative clinical trial has been made at one centre in each of six countries to decide if the potency of allergen extracts can be determined satisfactorily by skin-prick tests in man. Although there was considerable variation in potency of antigen when determined in different patients, if a sufficiently large group (n=54) of persons were tested, it was shown to be feasible to compare potencies of sequential batches of the same specificity, and also of antigens of different specificities. It was shown that batches of mite extract were weaker than that of a grass pollen, but it proved to be a simple matter to adjust the concentration to give the same biological potency.     

Human dander in house dust allergy

The possible role of human dander in house dust allergy was investigated. Naturally shed human mite-free skin squames were collected from bedding and used to prepare a human dander extract. When the extract was coupled to cyanogen bromide-activated paper discs, and used in the RAST assay, IgE titres to the skin extract were observed in the sera from several patients with house dust allergy. The sera with IgE to the skin extract also had high IgE titres to either house dust, D. pteronyssinus or cat fur. RAST inhibition studies revealed cross-reaction between the human skin extract and both a D. pteronyssinus extract and a cat fur extract.     

Frequency of occurrence of IgG (S-TS)

A group of eighty-four sera from a selected population of patients suspected of hypersensitivity to food and environmental allergens was examined by both RAST and passive transfer in monkeys for IgE and IgG (S-TS) antibodies respectively. A high proportion (26%) showed IgG (S-TS) to milk, and this was more than four times the frequency (6%) for IgG (S-TS) to any other of the antigens tested. IgE and IgG (S-TS) antibodies behaved as independent biological systems.