The penicillin antigens: presentation in the leucocyte migration test (a study with penicillin and penicilloylated proteins).

The response of the leucocyte migration test (LMT) to benzyl penicillin (BP) was compared with the response of LMT to benzyl penicilloylated human gamma globulins (BPO HGG) and to benzyl penicilloylated human serum albumin (BPO HSA). Patients with and without hypersensitivity to penicillins were investigated. No statistical differences were found between the response to BP and to BPO HGG or BPO HSA; this finding supports the fact that the BPO groups generated by BP are mainly implicated in the triggering of the LMT when BP is used as antigen. A strongly penicilloylated HSA appeared to be the most effective mode of the antigen presentation for the detection of BPO-specific cellular immunity in patients with and without clinical symptoms of hypersensitivity to the penicillins.