INHIBITION OF THE EFFECTOR PHASE OF IGE-MEDIATED ALLERGIES BY TOLEROGENIC CONJUGATES OF ALLERGENS AND MONOMETHOXYPOLYETHYLENE GLYCOL

In this study we established that the conjugate of ovalbumin (OVA), wh ich was used as a model allergen, with monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG), i.e., OVA(mPEG)(11), was not only tolerogenic and essentially non-allergenic, but also capable of inactivating mast cells sensitized with anti-OVA IgE antibodies (Abs). Moreover, mast cells sensitized w ith a mixture of anti-OVA and anti-DNP IgE I Abs were also densensitiz ed by OVA(mPEG)(11) with respect to both sensitivities. Most important ly, treatment of OVA-sensitive mice by OVA(mPEG)(11) protected them fr om systemic anaphylaxis on challenge with OVA. The possibility of inac tivating IgE-sensitized mast cells with mPEG conjugates of single epit opes of a given allergen is being investigated.