Studies on the mechanism of multiple drug allergies. Structural basis of drug recognition

The multiple drug allergy syndrome, that is, allergic recognition of a variety of drugs that may be both pharmacologically and structurally different, has been little studied and, consequently, the underlying mechanism(s) is unknown. The molecular basis of drug recognition by IgE antibodies found in the sera of subjects exhibiting multiple allergic drug sensitivities was studied by direct binding and quantitative hapten inhibition assays in experiments employing a wide range of carefully selected drugs and other chemicals. Drug recognition was shown to be related to the presence of tertiary and quaternary mono-, di- and trialkyl amino groups, but only if the alkyl groups were 'small' viz., methyl or, perhaps, ethyl. Primary, secondary, and tertiary (with R = 'large' alkyl) groups showed no direct antibody binding or antibody inhibitory activities. Near-neighbour effects of amide and hydroxyl groups appeared to promote weaker antigenic recognition. Results indicate that the antibody recognition and clinical drug allergy spectra of at least some subjects with multiple drug allergies are due to wide ranging immunological cross-reactivities with drugs containing tertiary amino and quaternary ammonium groups which are present in many different pharmacologically active agents. Separate populations of antibodies to other non-cross reacting drugs, for example, beta-lactam antibiotics, may also be present in the sera of such subjects.