title: Allergen stabilities and compatibilities in immunotherapy mixtures that contain cat, dog, dust mite, and cockroach extracts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Indoor allergen mixtures that contain cat, dog, dust mite, and cockroach extracts are commonly used in allergy clinics for subcutaneous immunotherapy, but product-specific stabilities and mixing compatibilities in these complex patient formulas have not been determined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the recoveries of cat, dog epithelia, dog dander, dust mite Dermatophagoides farinae, and cockroach mix allergen activities in 5 component mixtures and 1:10 (vol/vol) dilutions stored for up to 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concentrated stock mixtures, 10-fold dilutions of these mixtures in human serum albumin-saline diluent, and analogous single-extract controls were analyzed for major allergen concentrations (cat Fel d 1, dog dander Can f 1) and multiallergen IgE-binding potencies (dog epithelia, D farinae, cockroach mix) after storage for 3, 6, 9, and 12 months at 2°C to 8°C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The selected immunoassays were specific for individual target extracts in the 5-component mixtures and exhibited analytical sensitivities sufficient for evaluation of both the concentrated and diluted indoor allergen formulas. All control samples except diluted cockroach extract had near-complete stabilities during refrigerated storage. Mixtures that contained cat, dog epithelia, dog dander, and D farinae extracts exhibited favorable mixing compatibilities in 1:1 (vol/vol) concentrates (47.5% glycerin) and 1:10 (vol/vol) dilutions (4.75% glycerin), relative to corresponding control sample reactivities. Cockroach allergens in both 1:1 (vol/vol) and 1:10 (vol/vol) concentrations were stabilized significantly by mixing with the other 4 indoor allergen extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extracts in mixtures that contained 5 common sources of indoor allergens possess favorable stabilities and mixing compatibilities and support the practice of combining these products in the same patient treatment formulations for subcutaneous immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Laboratory, Greer Laboratories Inc, Lenoir, North Carolina. Electronic address: tgrier@greerlabs.com.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Grier
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Laboratory, Greer Laboratories Inc, Lenoir, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Laboratory, Greer Laboratories Inc, Lenoir, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Satyen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gada
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003058:Cockroaches; D004285:Dogs; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D039981:Pyroglyphidae
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E