Measurement of low levels of immunoglobulins. A simple solid-phase radioimmunoassay

Some immunohormonal changes in experimentally pregnant toxemic goats

Pregnancy toxemia was induced in nine pregnant goat does with twins by the stress of fasting with access to water in late pregnancy to investigate the effect of pregnancy toxemia on immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, and IgG), cortisol, insulin, thyroid, and growth hormones and their correlations with the plasma levels of glucose and β-Hydroxybutyrate. Plasma samples were collected at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours after induction of pregnancy toxemia. The result revealed that experimental animals developed neurological findings with convulsions and acetone odor from the mouth with recumbency after 72 hours. Laboratory findings showed a significant increase in β-Hydroxybutyrate, cortisol, and insulin while there were significant decreases in glucose, thyroid, and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, and IgG). Plasma glucose concentrations had significant negative correlations with β-hydroxybutyrate, cortisol, and insulin while the correlations were significantly positive with immunoglobulins and thyroid hormone. Plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentration was significantly positively correlated with cortisol and negatively correlated with immunoglobulins, insulin, and thyroid hormone. From this study we can conclude that pregnancy toxemia might affect humoral immune responses as well as insulin, cortisol, and thyroid hormones. Moreover, insulin might have a compensatory role to increase suppressive effect on ketogenesis in experimentally pregnant toxemic goats.

Evidence for circulating IgE complexes in food allergy

Antigen entry and the formation of immune complexes occur in atopic subjects after food ingestion. We have studied patients with asthma, eczema and arthralgia and we were able to detect the presence of IgE immune complexes and the antigen entry from the gut before and after food challenge. Food allergic subjects showed, after food challenge, the presence of IgE and IgG immune complexes, which correlates with the subsequent occurrence of symptoms. Both the symptoms and the appearance of IgE immune complexes could be prevented by pretreatment with oral sodium cromoglycate (SCG). IgE immune complexes were isolated by an isokinetic ultracentrifugation gradient and the components were analyzed for antigen-specific IgE and IgG as well as free antigen levels. The observation that SCG reduces antigen entry, the appearance of IgE immune complexes and the occurrence of symptoms point to the central role of IgE in the intestinal mucosa.