title: A study of serum antibody activity in workers with occupational exposure to diphenylmethane diisocyanate.
abstract: The prevalence of sensitization was studied in a group of 76 foundry workers with occupational exposure to diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). Ten workers had clinical evidence of asthma, 40 had non-asthmatic respiratory symptoms, and 26 were asymptomatic. Specific IgE antibodies to MDI were found in two workers (2.6%) and specific IgG antibodies, in five workers (6.6%). The prevalence of IgE and IgG antibodies was higher in the 10 subjects with asthma than in the non-asthmatic group. The prevalence of anti-paratolyl-monoisocyanate antibodies was not significantly different from that of anti-MDI antibodies, and both haptenic determinants displayed a high degree of cross-reactivity in the RAST inhibition test. The role of humoral immunological mechanisms in MDI-induced asthma is unclear in view of the rather low prevalence of these serum antibodies in this group of workers.
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003485:Cyanates / Q000276:immunology*; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017953:Isocyanates; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D003485:Cyanates; D006241:Haptens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D017953:Isocyanates; D012709:Serum Albumin; C025637:4-tolyl isocyanate; C005969:4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds