Immunogenicity in guinea pigs and tolerance in grass pollen-sensitive volunteers of enteric-coated grass pollen allergens.
An acid-insoluble, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate copolymer (Eudragit L-100) was used to give an enteric coating to a grass pollen extract in order to protect it against gastric degradation. Substantial protection against the degradative effects of simulated gastric secretion was demonstrated using this preparation which was well tolerated by grass pollen-allergic volunteers. The enteric-coated allergen induced a greater secondary antibody response than did an aqueous presentation when administered orally to guinea pigs which had been primed previously by subcutaneous injection. This result indicates that an effective hyposensitisation regimen could consist of a short series of initial parenteral injections, followed by an oral course of the protected allergen.
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000494:pharmacology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004355:Drug Stability; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000502:physiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D011058:Pollen / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated; C038300:methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer