A Guinea Pig Model of Hypersensitivity to Allergenic Fractions of Natural Rubber Latex

Abstract

Allergy to natural rubber latex is a growing medical problem with life-threatening aspects. The aim of this study was to learn if guinea pigs 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. Other animals were injected with electroeluted latex components localized on gel at 14, 24 and a cluster around 45 kD. Before and after immunization, sera from the animals were examined by ELISA, immunoblots, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and passive systemic anaphylaxis. Latex-specific antibodies were detected by ELISA and immunoblots in sera from all immunized animals. PCA assays showed that the guinea pigs had homocytotropic antibodies dilutible to 1:250. PCA was abolished when sera from animals immunized with allergens in alum were heated at 56°C for 30 min indicating the antibodies were of the E isotype. Passive systemic anaphylaxis was induced in 4 of 10 guinea pigs. The results show that guinea pigs are capable of making antibodies to latex protein components that mediate dermal and systemic anaphylaxis, paralleling the spectrum of clinical and laboratory findings of humans with immediate-type clinical latex hypersensitivity.

Immunoadjuvant properties of glove cornstarch powder in latex‐induced hypersensitivity

“…NRL itself is capable of inducing a strong immunological response, including the production of IgE antibodies when administered intraperitoneally, intranasally or by the tracheal route to experimental animals [13–16]. The involvement of CS powder in NRL sensitization as allergen carrier is also well documented, but its role as adjuvant in latex‐induced hypersensitivity has not been established [17].…”

Dually modified transmembrane proteoglycans in development and disease

“…Cleavage occurs near the transmembrane domain to release a soluble ectodomain containing GAG chains (Figure 1). This ectodomain shedding is highly regulated by the enzymatic activity of several proteases[2, 39, 56–60] including matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and metalloprotease disintergrins. Enzymatic activity by pervanadate, a general tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, stimulates cleavage of both SDC1[61] and betaglycan[58].…”

Biological Variation in Biochemistry Analytes in Laboratory Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

“…This strain was first developed by Dunkin and Hartley in 1926 and is commercially available from several laboratory breeders [26]. The Dunkin Hartley is the most common guinea pig strain used in biomedical research, particularly for studies of asthma [27][28][29], allergy [30,31], infectious disease [2,32,33], reproduction [34][35][36], and osteoarthritis [37,38]. Minimally invasive blood tests, such as complete blood counts and serum biochemistry profiles, are often collected for diagnostics and laboratory analyses.…”