Study of immune-responsiveness to wheat antigen by IgG, IgA, and IgE immunoblotting with sera from patients with atopic dermatitis

To investigate the immune mechanism underlying the IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to food antigens, wheat-flour proteins were extracted in mild condition, and IgG antibodies were detected by the ELISA method. Atopic dermatitis patients who had high scores for IgE-RAST were shown to have increased levels of IgG antibodies to wheat proteins. To define the allergenic polypeptides or epitopes in wheat proteins, each patient's serum was subjected to determination of IgG, IgA, and IgE antibodies to each protein component, using a highly sensitive immunoblotting method. Low molecular weight polypeptides bind specifically IgG, IgA, and IgE antibodies in serum from atopic dermatitis patients. Thus, there are specific components or epitopes in wheat proteins which are closely related to the disease states.

Experimental study on chemonucleolysis. With special reference to the change of intradiscal pressure

The purpose of this study is to investigate mechanical change in the intervertebral disc after chemonucleolysis. Thirteen monkeys were used. After transperitoneal approach to the lumbar spine, 400 units of Discase was injected into each disc. The animals were killed 1 day; 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 weeks; and 1 year after chymopapain injection. Compression load was applied to the segment composed of a disc and adjacent vertebral bodies. Intradiscal pressure was measured simultaneously. A linear relationship was noticed between compression load and intradiscal pressure. In chymopapain-injected discs, the pre-existing pressure decreased or disappeared, and the increase of pressure for a given load was lower than that of the control. Our biomechanical study suggested that the decrease of intradiscal pressure as a possible mechanism of symptom relief in chemonucleolysis.