Interaction of smoking and atopy in producing specific IgE antibody against a hapten protein conjugate.
A survey was carried out of a population of workers exposed to tetrachlorophthalic anhydride, an acid anhydride epoxy resin curing agent known to cause asthma. Using a radioallergosorbent test with a tetrachlorophthalic anhydride human serum albumin conjugate, specific IgE antibody was detected in serum from 24 out of 300 factory floor workers exposed to tetrachlorophthalic anhydride. Of these 24, 20 (83.3%) were current smokers compared with 133 (48.2%) of 276 without antibody (p less than 0.01), and there was a weaker association with atopy, defined by skin tests with common allergens. Smoking and atopy interacted, the prevalence of antibody being 16.1% in atopic smokers, 11.7% in non-atopic smokers, 8.3% in atopic non-smokers, and nil in non-atopic non-smokers (p less than 0.025). Smoking may predispose to, and interact with atopy in, the production of specific IgE antibody to this hapten protein conjugate.
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D004581:Electronics; D005260:Female; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000276:immunology*; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D012907:Smoking
D000906:Antibodies; D006241:Haptens; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides; D012709:Serum Albumin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C009409:tetrachlorophthalic anhydride