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Identification of IgE-binding components in occupational asthma caused by corn dust
1Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
Background:
There have been some reports of corn dust-induced occupational asthma that suggest nonimmunologic mechanism. In this paper, we present a case of occupational asthma and rhinitis caused by corn dust where bronchoconstriction was induced by an IgE-mediated reaction.
Methods And Results:
The patient had positive responses to weed and grass pollens as well as corn dust extracts. The bronchoprovocation test elicited an early asthmatic response to corn dust extracts. Serum-specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies to corn dust extracts were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In order to identify further the allergenic component of the extracts, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and electroblotting studies were performed. Ten IgE-binding components (9 to 140 kD) were detected within the corn dust extracts.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that inhalation of corn dust can cause IgE-mediated bronchoconstriction in an exposed worker.