title: Allergens of mammalian origin V. Properties of extracts derived from the domestic cat.
abstract: Eight commercial cat dander extracts and two pelt extracts derived from mongrel and Siamese cats were compared. Cat allergn 1 and cat albumin were measured by radial immunodiffusion. Allergenic activity was evaluated by prick test and a modified radioallergosorbent test. In the latter, the dilution of each extract that produced 50% inhibition of binding of IgE antibodies to insolubilized cat allergen 1 (RAST 1) and insolubilized cat serum (RAST 2) was determind. The total non-dialysable solid content of the extracts did not correlate with any other parameter. Cat allergen 1 content determined by radial immunodiffusion correlated with average prick test results in ten cat-sensitive subjects and with RAST 1 activity. Cat albumin content correlated weakly with RAST 2 activity but not with any other measure of allergenic activity. Absorption of each extract with the gamma-globulin fraction of rabbit antiserum to cat allergen 1 significantly reduced prick test reactivity and RAST 1 activity, but not RAST 2 activity. These results indicate that cat allergen 1 is an important allergen in cat dander extracts and its measurement may be used to standardize the allergenic activity of such extracts.
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000276:immunology; D000485:Allergens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D006197:Hair / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D000485:Allergens; D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens