Skip to main content
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1969 May;4(5):585–596.

Immunological investigation of individuals with toluene diisocyanate asthma

S B Avery, D M Stetson, P M Pan, K P Mathews
PMCID: PMC1579066  PMID: 4182406

Abstract

Thirteen subjects who experienced only the expected irritant respiratory and ocular effects from occupational exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) were compared with eight workers who appeared clinically to be sensitized to this substance, as manifested by the prompt development of asthmatic symptoms on exposure to minute concentrations of TDI. In an attempt to document an immunological response to TDI in the latter group, several conjugates of TDI with human serum albumin were prepared. Gel diffusion, leucocyte histamine release, PCA in guinea-pigs, passive haemagglutination, passive transfer (P-K) and a few direct skin tests all failed to show antibodies to TDI. In lymphocyte culture, however, TDI–human serum albumin complexes produced stimulation of lymphocytes from seven of the eight subjects suspected of being sensitized and none of the controls.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BOYDEN S. V. The adsorption of proteins on erythrocytes treated with tannic acid and subsequent hemagglutination by antiprotein sera. J Exp Med. 1951 Feb;93(2):107–120. doi: 10.1084/jem.93.2.107. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BRUGSCH H. G., ELKINS H. B. Toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) toxicity. N Engl J Med. 1963 Feb 14;268:353–357. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196302142680705. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bruckner H. C., Avery S. B., Stetson D. M., Dodson V. N., Ronayne J. J. Clinical and immunologic appraisal of workers exposed to diisocyanates. Arch Environ Health. 1968 May;16(5):619–625. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1968.10665117. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. FISHER J. P., MIDDLETON E., MENZEL A. E. Study on passive cutaneous anaphylaxis with serum of allergic patients. J Allergy. 1956 May;27(3):256–260. doi: 10.1016/0021-8707(56)90055-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FUCHS S., VALADE P. Etude clinique et expérimentale sur quelques cas d'intoxication par le desmodur T (diisocyanate de toluylène 1-2-4 et 1-2-6). Arch Mal Prof. 1951;12(2):191–196. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. GANDEVIA B. RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND VENTILATORY CAPACITY IN MEN EXPOSED TO ISOCYANATE VAPOUR. Australas Ann Med. 1964 May;13:157–166. doi: 10.1111/imj.1964.13.2.157. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Girard J. P., Rose N. R., Kunz M. L., Kobayashi S., Arbesman C. E. In vitro lymphocyte transformation in atopic patients: induced by antigens. J Allergy. 1967 Feb;39(2):65–81. doi: 10.1016/0021-8707(67)90113-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HIRSCHHORN K., BACH F., KOLODNY R. L., FIRSCHEIN I. L., HASHEM N. IMMUNE RESPONSE AND MITOSIS OF HUMAN PERIPHERAL BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES IN VITRO. Science. 1963 Nov 29;142(3596):1185–1187. doi: 10.1126/science.142.3596.1185. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. HOLLAND P., MAUER A. M. DRUG-INDUCED IN-VITRO STIMULATION OF PERIPHERAL LYMPHOCYTES. Lancet. 1964 Jun 20;1(7347):1368–1369. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)92046-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Halpern B., Amache N. Diagnosis of drug allergy in vitro with the lymphocyte transformation test. J Allergy. 1967 Sep;40(3):168–181. doi: 10.1016/0021-8707(67)90006-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Konzen R. B., Craft B. F., Scheel L. D., Gorski C. H. Human response to low concentrations of p,p-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1966 Mar-Apr;27(2):121–127. doi: 10.1080/00028896609342803. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. LICHTENSTEIN L. M., OSLER A. G. STUDIES ON THE MECHANISMS OF HYPERSENSITIVITY PHENOMENA. IX. HISTAMINE RELEASE FROM HUMAN LEUKOCYTES BY RAGWEED POLLEN ANTIGEN. J Exp Med. 1964 Oct 1;120:507–530. doi: 10.1084/jem.120.4.507. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LYCETTE R. R., PEARMAIN G. E. FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON ANTIGEN-INDUCED MITOSIS. Lancet. 1963 Aug 24;2(7304):386–386. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(63)93063-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Levine B. B., Fellner M. J., Levytska V., Franklin E. C., Alisberg N. Benzylpenicilloyl-specific serum antibodies to penicillin in man. II. Sensitivity of the hemagglutination assay method, molecular classes of the antibodies detected, and antibody titers of randomly selected patients. J Immunol. 1966 Apr;96(4):719–726. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MATHEWS K. P., SPEAR H. J. A comparative study of the hemagglutinating and skin sensitizing activities of ragweed sensitive human sera. J Immunol. 1961 Sep;87:274–284. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Moorhead J. F., McFarland W. Efficiency of scintillation counting of tritium labelled DNA-protein in the mixed leucocyte reaction in vitro. Nature. 1966 Sep 10;211(5054):1157–1159. doi: 10.1038/2111157a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Niewenhuis R., Scheel L., Stemmer K., Killens R. Toxicity of chronic low level exposures to toluene diisocyanate in animals. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1965 Mar-Apr;26(2):143–149. doi: 10.1080/00028896509342714. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. OVARY Z. Immediate reactions in the skin of experimental animals provoked by antibody-antigen interaction. Prog Allergy. 1958;5:459–508. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. PEARMAIN G., LYCETTE R. R., FITZGERALD P. H. Tuberculin-induced mitosis in peripheral blood leucocytes. Lancet. 1963 Mar 23;1(7282):637–638. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(63)91275-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. SCHEEL L. D., KILLENS R., JOSEPHSON A. IMMUNOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE (TDI) TOXICITY. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1964 Mar-Apr;25:179–184. doi: 10.1080/00028896409342574. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. SCHURMANN D. Gesundheitsschäden durch neuartige Lacke und Schaumstoffe. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 1955 Nov 11;80(45):1661–1663. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1116268. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. SHORE P. A., BURKHALTER A., COHN V. H., Jr A method for the fluorometric assay of histamine in tissues. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1959 Nov;127:182–186. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. SILVER H. M. TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE ASTHMA. REVIEW AND CASE REPORT WITH RESPONSE TO STEROIDS. Arch Intern Med. 1963 Sep;112:401–404. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1963.03860030155018. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. SWENSSON A., HOLMQUIST C. E., LUNDGREN K. D. Injury to the respiratory tract by isocyanates used in making lacquers. Br J Ind Med. 1955 Jan;12(1):50–53. doi: 10.1136/oem.12.1.50. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sweet L. C. Toluene-diisocyanate asthma. Univ Mich Med Cent J. 1968 Jan-Feb;34(1):27–29. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Thompson G. E., Scheel L. D. Alteration of lung pathology from diisocyanate by glycemic or sensitizing agents. Arch Environ Health. 1968 Mar;16(3):363–370. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1968.10665071. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. WIENER S. THE MITOGENIC EFFECT OF GRASS-POLLEN EXTRACT. Med J Aust. 1965 Jan 30;1(5):148–149. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. WOODBURY J. W. Asthmatic syndrome following exposure to tolylene diisocyanate. Ind Med Surg. 1956 Nov;25(11):540–543. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. ZAPP J. A., Jr Hazards of isocyanates in polyurethane foam plastic production. AMA Arch Ind Health. 1957 Apr;15(4):324–330. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Zeitz S. J., Van Arsdel P. P., Jr, McClure D. K. Specific response of human lymphocytes to pollen antigen in tissue culture. J Allergy. 1966 Dec;38(6):321–329. doi: 10.1016/0021-8707(66)90030-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES