[An experimental etiological study of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) induced occupational asthma]

Thirteen guinea pigs were immunized with TDI-BSA conjugates employing CFA or AHG adjuvant or only adjuvant as a control via intraperitoneal route. After 5-8 weeks, 30.8% of the sensitized animals experienced asthma attacks after a TDI-HSA challenge. The dynamic airway pulmonary ventilation imaging with Tc-99m-DTPA showed an accumulation of radioactivity. The radioactivity ratio of trachea or bronchus/lung was increased 6.46-29 times in contrast with before challenge. A specific IgE and IgG type antibodies were developed in 87.5% of TDI-BSA/CFA sensitized animals and 40% of TDI-BSA/AHG sensitized animals by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA). Results of these suggested that allergic response play an important role in the mechanism of TDI-induced asthma.