Quantitative Immunoelectrophoretic Analysis of Rat Allergen Extracts

Abstract

Many constituents of rat fur, urine and saliva were identified as being allergenic using crossed radio-immunoelectrophoresis with sera from 14 patients who had asthma and rhinitis on exposure to rats. There was considerable diversity in the spectra of components recognized by individual patients, though the majority reacted with immunoprecipitate 4. In all 3 extracts this represents a similar component, which was originally characterized as a urinary prealbumin. Most of the allergenic components of urine and saliva have also been detected in the fur extract. Some of the minor allergens are those antigens which appear to be unique to urine, saliva or the skin, suggesting that sensitization to rats can result from exposure to allergenic material from all 3 of these sources.