ALLERGENS IN BEE VENOM .1. SEPARATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MAJOR ALLERGENS

[摘要] Honeybee venom was separated into 7 fractions by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. Allergenic activities of these fractions were assessed by the paper disc radioallergosorbent test (RAST) with a panel of sera from 24 individuals who had systemic reactions to bee stings, 7 who had large local reactions and 10 control subjects who had reactions of 5 cm or less following bee stings. Three fractions were identified by enzyme or direct hemolytic activity. Of 31 sera from patients having systemic or large local reactions to bee stings, 29 were positive when RAST tested with whole bee venom; 22 were positive to phospholipase A, and 28 were positive to fractions 1 and 2. Thirteen sera combined most strongly with fraction 1, 12 sera most strongly with fraction 2, hyaluronidase, and 3 sera about equally with fractions 1, 2 and 3. Reactions with other fractions were much weaker. Fractions 1 and 2 were potent inhibitors of RAST, with whole venom in the sera reacting most strongly with fractions 1 or 2, respectively. Fraction 3, phospholipase A and commercial bee venom phospholipase A were significantly less potent inhibitors with the sera tested. In the cases in which IgE [immunoglobulin E] antibody bindings to fractions 1, 2 and 3 were of similar magnitude, inhibitions of RAST using the various fractions on the discs and as inhibitors demonstrated substantial cross-reactivity between the fractions. Thus, fraction 1, the high molecular weight materials and fraction 2, hyaluronidase, are the major allergens in honeybee venom. Phospholipase A appears to be of secondary importance.