title: Specific IgE to colophony?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colophony (rosin) is a natural product obtained from coniferous trees. It is used in a diverse range of products such as adhesives, ink, paints and soldering fluxes. Some workers exposed to colophony during soldering can develop occupational asthma; at present, no specific IgE test is available to assess sensitization to colophony.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were obtained from exposed symptomatic individuals (n = 7), some with a likely diagnosis of occupational asthma, exposed asymptomatic individuals (n = 10) and unexposed individuals (n = 11). Serum was tested for specific IgE antibodies against a protein extract produced following in vitro challenge of mono-mac-6 cells with colophony extract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum from exposed symptomatic individuals showed increased binding of specific IgE antibodies to a range of colophony-cell protein conjugates [29% (2/7) of samples tested when cut-off > 0.1 or 86% (6/7) of samples tested when cut-off > 0%] compared with both the exposed asymptomatic [0% when cut-off > 0.1, or 20% when cut-off > 0% (2/10)] and the non-exposed control populations [0% when cut-off > 0.1, or 27% when cut-off > 0% (3/11)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel approach for the production of conjugates to assess sensitization to colophony was able to detect specific IgE in colophony-exposed workers with a likely diagnosis of occupational asthma.
authors.affiliation: Health & Safety Executive, Hagley Road, Birmingham B16 8HS, UK.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elms
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fishwick
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Sherwood
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burge
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Huggins
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: Nerys
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test / Q000379:methods; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D012116:Resins, Plant; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C013893:rosin