ANAPHYLACTIC IGE AND IGG(1) PRODUCTION FOR HAPTEN CAN BE ENHANCED BY CONTRAST-MEDIA

Various side effects have been associated with the clinical use of con trast media. Immunological mechanisms have been proposed but there hav e been very few experimental studies with animal models. We have attem pted to develop murine models to determine whether or not anaphylactic antibodies such as IgE and IgG(1) against hapten (DNP) were enhanced with contrast medium (iopamidol) as an adjuvant or if the contrast med ium itself produced antibodies of the IgE class. The results showed th at anti-hapten IgE and IgG, production was greatly enhanced with immun ogen plus contrast medium. Anti-contrast medium antibodies of the IgE class could not be detected by PCA reactions. The enhancement of IgE a nd IgG, production for hapten was associated with IL-4 release by the neutralization test used by monoclonal anti-IL-it antibodies. This is the first observation to show that contrast media may have a strong ad juvant effect for the production of IgE and IgG,. This murine model de monstrates a possible immunological function of contrast media in vivo .