Acid anhydrides and asthma.

Journal article

We have studied asthma caused by inhaled acid anhydrides as a model of hapten-induced airway hyperresponsiveness. Inhalation tests with the relevant anhydride in sensitised individuals reproducibly provoked a significant increase in non-specific airway responsiveness identifiable 3 h after the test and prior to the development of the late asthmatic reaction. Seven cases of asthma caused by tetrachlorophthalic anhydride (TCPA) had specific IgE in their serum to a TCPA-human serum albumin conjugate. RAST inhibition studies showed the anhydride to be involved in the antibody-combining site. Survey of the factory population where these 7 cases worked allowed investigation of the determinants of the specific IgE response: its presence was associated with intensity of exposure and current cigarette smoking; in addition smoking interacted with atopy to increase the prevalence of specific IgE. During a 5-year period of avoidance of exposure to TCPA specific IgE declined exponentially with a half-life of one year, suggesting continuing IgE secretion. Five years after avoidance of exposure, airway hyperresponsiveness remained increased in several cases.

Authors: Taylor, A; Venables, K; Durham, SR; Graneek, B; Topping, MD

• Journal: International archives of allergy and applied immunology
• Volume: 82
• Issue: 3-4
• Pages: 435-439
• Publication date: 1987-01-01
• ISSN: 0020-5915
• Language: English
• Keywords: Occupational Diseases; Humans; Structure-Activity Relationship; Bronchial Spasm; Haptens; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Anhydrides; Smoking; Asthma; Immunoglobulin E; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Histamine