Abstract
The precipitating antibodies to the extracts of 31 environmental antigens detected by gel diffusion in sera from patients with 5 different chronic pulmonary diseases (tuberculosis, pulmonary fibrosis, diffuse panbronchiolitis, bronchial asthma and bronchoectasis) were examined. The contents of immune-complexes in these sera were measured by Clq solid phase radioimmunoassay. The results indicate that the diseases with marked roentgenographical findings have more precipitating antibodies and a higher titer of immune-complex. The possibility was considered that environmental antigens may participate in developing or in aggravating such pulmonary diseases.
Precipitating antibodies to some antigens were shown in the sera of nomal subjects, indicating that the detection of precipitating antibodies does not necessarily mean the existence of hypersensitive pneumonitis.
The serum IgE levels in diffuse panbronchiolitis were measured by enzyme immuno assay (EIA) to show that IgE concentration in such patients is within normal limits. Diffuse panbronchiolitis does not seem to have a pathogenesis with a reaginic back ground.
