IMMEDIATE ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO MYRMECIA ANT STINGS - IMMUNOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF MYRMECIA VENOMS

IgE antibody reactivities to the venoms of Myrmecia pilosula, Myrmecia nigrocincta, Myrmecia tarsata, Myrmecia pyriformis, Myrmecia simillim a and Myrmecia gulosa have been identified in sera from subjects aller gic to ant venom. Sera with IgE reactivity to only a single Myrmecia v enom most often recognize M. pilosula venom although all six venoms ap pear capable of inducing IgE antibodies. The six different Myrmecia ve noms were electrophoretically separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Western blotted to nitrocel lulose and probed with sera from ant venom-allergic subjects. Four to six IgE-binding components ranging in size from 2 to 25 kDa were ident ified in each of the venoms. Similarities in molecular weights of the IgE-binding components exist and close taxonomic relationships between the species suggest that common or similar peptides may be present in the different venoms.