INDUCTION OF IGE ANTIBODIES TO ANTIGEN ISOLATED FROM TOBACCO-LEAVES AND FROM CIGARETTE-SMOKE CONDENSATE

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 96  (1) , 249-255
Abstract
Neonatal California White rabbits were sensitized with a glycoprotein purified from cured Virginia Bright tobacco leaves. Their sera, but not sera from normal rabbits, were demonstrated by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis technique to contain heat-labile, homocytophilic antibodies to this antigen and to similar material purified from cigarette smoke condensate. Sera containing Ig[immunoglobulin]E antibodies to tobacco antigen would not be demonstrated to contain hemagglutinating antibodies to this antigen. Antigen capable of triggering specific IgE-mediated release of inflammatory mediators is present in cigarette smoke. IgE-mediated responses to antigen in cigarette smoke are probably causally related to the development of vascular injury and of myocardial arrhythmia in hypersensitive smokers.