title: Allergens in Hymenoptera venom. XXI. Cross-reactivity and multiple reactivity between fire ant venom and bee and wasp venoms.
abstract: The relationships between fire ant venom and bee and wasp venoms were explored by studying sera from five groups of subjects. Group 1 included adults not allergic to any venoms and who were not exposed to fire ants. Group 2 included adults with fire ant exposure who were not allergic to venoms. Group 3 included patients with recent systemic reactions to fire ant venom. Group 4 included patients allergic to bee and vespid venoms with no fire ant exposure. Last, group 5 included patients allergic to bee and vespid venoms with fire ant exposure. None of the serum samples from group 1 was RAST reactive to fire ant venom, but 24% of those from group 2 were fire ant positive, as were 100% of those from group 3, 51% of those from group 4, and 87% of those from group 5. The RAST-positive patients in groups 2 and 5 were also skin test positive. RAST inhibition studies demonstrated cross-reactivity in some cases and multiple reactivity in others. The serum samples were further investigated via nondenaturing electrophoretic immunoblot studies and RAST with highly purified allergens. Serum samples from group 4 reacted to a single band on immunoblots and with only one of the four purified allergens from fire ant venom (Solenopsis invicta I, or Sol i I). Serum samples from groups 2, 3, and 5 showed various patterns of allergen reactivity. All serum samples from patients allergic to fire ant venom who also reacted to bee and/or vespid venoms by RAST contained IgE antibodies binding to Sol i I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858-4354.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dove
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Moffitt
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Stafford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000862:Ant Venoms / Q000276:immunology; D001180:Arthropod Venoms / Q000276:immunology*; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000276:immunology; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000862:Ant Venoms; D001180:Arthropod Venoms; D001514:Bee Venoms; D014862:Wasp Venoms