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Title
Murine responses to immunization with pertussis toxin and bovine serum albumin: I. Mortality observed
after bovine albumin challenge is due to an anaphylactic reaction.
AuthorWiedmeier SE; Chung HT; Cho BH; Kim UH; Daynes RA
AddressDepartment of Pathology, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City 84132.
Source
Pediatr Res,
22:
3, 1987 Sep,
262-7
AbstractIt has been suggested that pertussis toxin (Ptx) is involved in the pathogenesis of the adverse neurologic
reactions that can occur in infants and children after pertussis immunization. One group of investigators
has recently reported that a clinical syndrome with pathological features very similar to post-pertussis
vaccination encephalopathy can be induced in specific strains of mice after their immunization with bovine
serum albumin (BSA) and Ptx. The aim of this investigation was to further characterize the immunologic
mechanisms operative in this murine model. Studies were undertaken to determine whether the role played
by Ptx in this condition required the A-protomer of the toxin to enter a cell and ADP-ribosylate a nucleotide
binding protein (a Class I activity) or was dependent upon the binding of the B-oligomer of the toxin
to the surface of target cells (a Class II activity). The results of our experiments have established
that the disease induced by coimmunizing mice with Ptx and BSA is due to an immediate type hypersensitivity
reaction rather than an encephalopathy and that the mechanism of action of Ptx in this system seems to
be dependent upon a Class II activity of the toxin and independent of its ADP-ribosyl transferase activity.