Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow, Russia
To study the allergen specific profile of IgE and IgG4 antibodies to cow milk proteins (casein, bovine serum albumin, euglobulin, α-lactoalbumin, bovine γ-globulin, the modified method of solid phase enzyme immunoassay with anti-IgE and anti-IgG4 monoclonal antibodies conjugated with horseradish peroxidase was used. A total of 72 sera from patients with diagnosed allergy to cow milk (13 adults and 59 children) were examined. The control group consisted of 50 clinically healthy persons regularly consuming milk. The study revealed that the most important role in the formation allergy to cow milk belonged to casein and bovine serum albumin: high titers of IgE antibodies were detected in 40—42% of cases. The levels of IgE and IgG4 antibodies were definitely age dependent. Thus, in patients aged 0 to 3 years the average level of IgG4 antibodies was higher than in children of the older age group (from 3 to 15 years) and adults, while a high level of IgE antibodies (reactions of class 3 and 4) was more typical for children of the older age group.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2003, No. 6, P. 63—65