ovalbumin and Urticaria

We occasionally see egg-allergic children who develop contact urticaria to hen's egg despite the absence of the overt symptoms on ingestion. The mechanisms remain to be elucidated.. Twenty-one subjects with positive reactions to 20-min patch tests for egg-white antigens were divided into subgroups with positive (n = 10) and negative (n = 11) results to oral challenge tests by the same antigens. We measured IgE antibody for egg white and its components, and IgE-binding activities to digestive enzyme-treated ovomucoid by RAST inhibition.. There were no significant differences in IgE antibody titers to egg white (positive vs negative: 30.3% vs 15.3%, P=0.130), ovomucoid (21.5% vs 10.2%, P= 0.078), ovotransferrin (9.9% vs 3.7%, P = 0.105), and lysozyme (3.4% vs 2.9%, P=0.944), except ovalbumin (16.8% vs 5.6%, P=0.024), between the positive and negative subjects in the provocation tests. In contrast, the concentration (1.93 microg/ml) of pepsin-treated ovomucoid needed for 50% RAST inhibition in the challenge-positive subjects was significantly (P=0.0003) lower than that (114.9 microg/ml) of negative subjects. Similar but less significant differences were obtained when ovomucoid fragments treated with chymotrypsin (0.91 microg/ml vs 6.86 microg/ml, P=0.014) and trypsin (0.75 microg/ml vs 4.67 microg/ml, P= 0.041) were used as inhibitors.. We suggest that IgE antibodies from subjects showing contact urticaria despite the absence of reactions to the ingestion of egg white recognize the epitope(s) unstable to digestive enzymes.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Allergens; Animals; Child; Child, Preschool; Chymotrypsin; Conalbumin; Double-Blind Method; Egg White; Eggs; Female; Food Hypersensitivity; Humans; Immunoglobulin E; Infant; Male; Muramidase; Ovalbumin; Ovomucin; Pepsin A; Placebos; Radioallergosorbent Test; Trypsin; Urticaria

This study explored the curative effect of Jingfang Mixture on urticaria mice induced by aluminum hydroxide/ovalbumin, and discussed its mechanism. Sixty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, three Jingfang Mixture(low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose) groups, and a positive drug(cetirizine hydrochloride) group. The urticarial model in mice was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of the mixed solution of ovalbumin and aluminum hydroxide. The degrees of pruritus were observed after the second immunization. Pathological changes were detected by hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining. Levels of interleukin 1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) in the serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Expressions of NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) and IL-1β were detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC). Expressions of nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB p65), NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteases 1(caspase-1), and IL-1β proteins were detected by Western blot. The results showed that, except for the normal group, the mice in all groups had different degrees of pruritus. Compared with the model group, the Jingfang Mixture groups and the positive drug group prolonged the scratching latency of mice(P<0.05), and significantly reduced the number of scratching(P<0.05). In addition, the Jingfang Mixture groups and the positive drug group improved the pathological morphology of skin tissue. The expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in serum were significantly reduced(P<0.05), and the number of NLRP3 and IL-1β positive cells was decreased(P<0.01). The expressions of p-NF-κB p65, NLRP3, ASC, cleaved caspase-1, and IL-1β protein were significantly down-regulated(P<0.05). The results of the above study indicate that Jingfang Mixture inhibit the inflammatory response in urticaria mice, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of activating NF-κB/NLRP3/IL-1β signaling pathway.

Topics: Aluminum Hydroxide; Animals; Caspase 1; Interleukin-1beta; Male; Mice; NF-kappa B; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Ovalbumin; Pruritus; Signal Transduction; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Urticaria

The mechanisms of distant manifestation after a local allergic reaction are largely unknown. This study examined the development of cutaneous lesions in a mouse model of late allergic rhinitis (LAR). BALB/c mice were sensitized by ovalbumin (OVA) intraperitoneally two times (on days 0 and 10) and challenged by OVA intranasally on day 14. Four days after OVA challenge, nasal and cutaneous lesions including helper T (Th) responses, expression of adhesion molecules and presence of OVA and IgE were examined, and compared with unsensitized and unchallenged (control) mice. Compared with the control group, the LAR group developed LAR characterized by infiltration of lymphocytes and eosinophils, increased IgE values and increased productions of IL-4 and IL-5, but not IFN-gamma. A dominant infiltration of eosinophils and increase in mast cells, attachment of eosinophils to endothelium, intense expression of VCAM-1 on endothelium in venules and VLA-4 expression on eosinophils and mast cells were recognized in the cutaneous tissues. There were no differences in the expression of ICAM-1 on vascular endothelium and LFA-1 on infiltrated leucocytes between the two groups. CLA expression on lymphocytes was not detected, and the binding of OVA and IgE on mast cells and eosinophils was found in the cutaneous lesions in the LAR group, but not in the control group. This study suggests that acute urticaria[corrected]-like lesions in OVA-unexposed cutaneous tissues may be induced by immediate allergic reaction due to the systemic development of Th2-type response in a mouse model of LAR.

Topics: Acute Disease; Allergens; Animals; Cell Adhesion Molecules; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Eosinophils; Female; Immunoglobulin E; Leukocyte Count; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nasal Septum; Ovalbumin; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Spleen; Th2 Cells; Urticaria

Topics: Animals; Biotransformation; Guinea Pigs; Histamine; Histamine Release; Male; Ovalbumin; Skin Absorption; Urticaria

Topics: Adult; Anaphylaxis; Angioedema; Anhydrides; Animals; Antibodies; Antibody Formation; Antibody Specificity; Antigens; Aspirin; Carrier Proteins; Cattle; Drug Contamination; Drug Eruptions; Drug Hypersensitivity; Erythrocytes; Female; gamma-Globulins; Guinea Pigs; Haptens; Hemagglutination Tests; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Immunodiffusion; Lysine; Male; Middle Aged; Ovalbumin; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis; Serum Albumin; Skin Tests; Tannins; Urticaria