A GUINEA-PIG MODEL OF HYPERSENSITIVITY TO ALLERGENIC FRACTIONS OF NATURAL-RUBBER LATEX

Allergy to natural rubber latex is a growing medical problem with life -threatening aspects. The aim of this study was to learn if guinea pig s could serve as a suitable model for immediate-type hypersensitivity to latex. Guinea pigs were immunized either with whole non-ammoniated latex extract, or with one of nine SDS-PAGE-separated components. Othe r animals were injected with electroeluted latex components localized on gel at 14, 24 and a cluster around 45 kD. Before and after immuniza tion, sera from the animals were examined by ELISA, immunoblots, passi ve cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and passive systemic anaphylaxis. Latex -specific antibodies were detected by ELISA and immunoblots in sera fr om all immunized animals. PCA assays showed that the guinea pigs had h omocytotropic antibodies dilutible to 1:250. PCA was abolished when se ra from animals immunized with allergens in alum were heated at 56 deg rees C for 30 min indicating the antibodies were of the E isotype. Pas sive systemic anaphylaxis was induced in 4 of 10 guinea pigs. The resu lts show that guinea pigs are capable of making antibodies to latex pr otein components that mediate dermal and systemic anaphylaxis, paralle ling the spectrum of clinical and laboratory findings of humans with i mmediate-type clinical latex hypersensitivity.