Characterization of the Mouse and Rat IgE Antibody Responses to Timothy Pollen by Means of Crossed Radioimmunoelectrophoresis

Abstract
The IgE antibody responses to timothy pollen allergens in one rat strain and five mouse strains were investigated by means of crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis. The rodent strains were selected for their capacity to respond with IgE antibody production. When sensitized parenterally with the antigen mixed in alum, the animals produced IgE antibodies to essentially the same antigens in timothy pollen as timothy sensitive patients have been shown to do. Thus, the allergenicity of the complex mixture of antigens in a timothy extract is similarly expressed in animals immunized parenterally with alum as in patients sensitized by inhalation.