Prevention of experimental anaphylactic ulcer by antigen prefeeding.

Studies were performed in animals to establish whether antigen prefeeding could present homocytotropic antibody synthesis and the induction of gastric ulcer resulting from mucosal anaphylaxis. A single digestive exposure to 1 or 10 mg ovalbumin induced a state of specific immunologic tolerance. Inhibition of the formation of specific reagins was shown by the study of mast cell degranulation. Tolerant animals presented a reduced incidence of gastric ulcer after subsequent mucosal challenge. These results are important for the development of methods of prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.