[Specificity of the action of anti-cholinoceptor antibodies]

The effect of different anti-cholinoceptive (Ach) antibodies (5 types) on the contractile effect of intestinal smooth muscles under the action of acetylcholine (A) and histamine (H) was examined in experiments on the isolated small bowel sections. Ach-antibodies were demonstrated to have virtually no influence on the effect of the tested dosage of A and H on the intestinal smooth muscles of intact guinea-pigs. Animal sensitization with egg albumin, timophy (Phleum sp.) pollen allergen and Neisseria perflava antigen made Ach-antibodies substantially alter the sensitivity of the isolated small bowel sections to the tested dosages of A and H. The Ach-antibodies under study were also shown to be able to drastically reduce the extent of anaphylactic contractures of the intestine under the influence of challenge doses of a specific allergen. The specificity of the action of ASch-antibodies, the relationship of choline and histamine receptors, and the involvement of Ach-antibodies in allergic reactions are discussed in the paper.