title: The toxicology and immunology of detergent enzymes.
abstract: Detergent enzymes have a very good safety profile, with almost no capacity to generate adverse acute or chronic responses in humans. The exceptions are the limited ability of some proteases to produce irritating effects at high concentrations, and the intrinsic potential of these bacterial and fungal proteins to act as respiratory sensitizers, demonstrated in humans during the early phase of the industrial use of enzymes during the 1960s and 1970s. How enzymes generate these responses are beginning to become a little clearer, with a developing appreciation of the cell surface mechanism(s) by which the enzymatic activity promotes the T-helper (T(H))-2 cell responses, leading to the generation of IgE. It is a reasonable assumption that the majority of enzyme proteins possess this intrinsic hazard. However, toxicological methods for characterizing further the respiratory sensitization hazard of individual enzymes remains a problematic area, with the consequence that the information feeding into risk assessment/management, although sufficient, is limited. Most of this information was in the past generated in animal models and in vitro immunoassays that assess immunological cross-reactivity. Ultimately, by understanding more fully the mechanisms which drive the IgE response to enzymes, it will be possible to develop better methods for hazard characterization and consequently for risk assessment and management.
authors.affiliation: DABMEB Consultancy Ltd , Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1PR, UK. dabmebconsultancyltd@me.com
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Basketter
authors.forename: Ninna
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Francis H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Kruszewski
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sarlo
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Concoby
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D003902:Detergents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004798:Enzymes / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003902:Detergents; D004798:Enzymes; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E