title: Complement consuming antibodies against a modified human serum protein in pigeon breeders' disease.
abstract: The sera of patients with pigeon breeders' disease contain precipitating and human complement consuming antibodies against pigeon dropping antigens. Cessation of antigen exposure results in a decrease of precipitins below the level of detection in immunodiffusion. Complement consuming antibodies remain present, however, despite antigen avoidance. A close correlation is observed between human complement consumption tests with pigeon dropping antigens PDF1-A or pigeon cropmilk IgA and a modified human serum gamma-globulin. Isolation of this protein is readily achieved by its non-specific adsorption onto activated Sepharose 4B and subsequent elution with 1 M acetic acid. This modified protein may act as an autoantigen in pigeon breeders' disease, maintaining human complement consuming antibodies for years in subjects with no further bird antigen contact.
mesh_terms: D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D001716:Bird Fancier's Lung / Q000276:immunology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002417:Cattle; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D010856:Columbidae; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011817:Rabbits; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D001798:Blood Proteins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D003165:Complement System Proteins