Suppression of IgE antibody production in sensitized mice and rats by tolerogenic conjugates of synthetic hydrophilic polymers with antigen or hapten: effect on antigen-induced histamine release from peritoneal mast cells.

IgE antibodies were produced in mice and rats by immunization with ragweed pollen extract (RAG) or dinitrophenylated ovalbumin (DNP3-OA). Treatment of these animals with tolerogenic conjugates of (i) the antigen (RAG or OA) with monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG), or (ii) DNP with polyvinyl alcohol (DNP-PVA) resulted, within 7-14 days, in a fall in circulating IgE antibodies and in mast cell sensitivity, as assessed by the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) and in the in vitro antigen-induced histamine release (HR) test, respectively. The reduction in responsiveness was more marked in mice than rats; 10 days after a booster immunization, the IgE antibody titres in the RAG-mPEG-treated group of mice were approximately 10-fold lower than in the saline-treated group, with a 100-fold difference in cell sensitivity. DNP-PVA treatment of mice produced a more than 10-fold reduction in IgE anti-DNP titres with a substantial reduction in histamine release.