Neutralization of Specific Reagins in Monkeys Passively Sensitized by Cross-Reactive Allergy Sera

SummaryBlood sera from 60 allergy patients in Marseille, France, were examined by the reagin passive transfer test in macaque monkeys. Twenty-six of the sera were highly reactive with partially purified castor bean seed protein. Six of the reactive sera were also highly reactive with castor pollen extract. By utilization of the phenomenon of reagin neutralization (specific desensitization) with castor pollen extract, sites passively sensitized with these 6 sera were rendered non-reactive to the pollen allergens: the pollen-desensitized sites were still highly reactive to the seed protein. The results appear to support the conclusion that allergy to castor bean pomace may be hypersensitivity to one or more of several components of the seed, pollen, or female blossoms.