THE ANTIGENS OF PIGEON BREEDER'S DISEASE: STUDIES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE COMPONENTS IN PIGEON DROPPING EXTRACT (PDE)
Abstract
Pigeon breeder's disease (PBD), a hypersensitivity pneumonitis, results from the continued inhalation of "organic dust antigens" derived from pigeon serum and pigeon dropping material. Pigeon dropping extracts (PDE) have been shown to contain a source of antigenic material. A survey of the hydrolytic enzymes present in PDE has shown that this material contains a variety of proteolytic and nonproteolytic enzymes that hydrolyze synthetic and natural substrates. These enzymes were separated into their basic and acidic components by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Five distinct hydrolytic activities were isolated from the basic group of enzymes. These enzymes were purified by CM-cellulose chromatography, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and selective adsorption to affinity columns. Trypsin, elastase and two forms of collagenase were the specific proteolytic enzymes identified and isolated. A phospholipase was also purified from these basic fractions. Six distinct hydrolytic activities were also identified in the acidic group of enzymes. Significant amounts of the proteases elastase, trypsin and two molecular forms of collagenase were isolated. An esterase and phospholipase were also purified These enzymes were purified by preparative isoelectric focusing, affinity chromatography, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 or BioGel A-0.5m columns. A potential role for the enzymes in the induction of PBD is presented. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) of unfractionated PDE on polyacrylamide gels revealed that this material is a complex mixture of components which are acidic in nature. Chromatographically purified antigens PDE(,B), (,1) and (,3) showed multiple bands in IEF, with peak concentrations focusing at pH 6.1, 4.6 and 3.8, respectively. Crossed immunoelectrofocusing (CRIF) resolved PDE into nine precipitable components with rabbit antiserum in a pH gradient from 2.5 to 7.0. A comparison of pigeon breeder's sera by CRIF of unfractionated PDE demonstrated a qualitative difference in precipitation patterns. Sera from all (8/8) of the symptomatic breeders tested precipitated an unidentified component of PDE, whereas none (0/4) of the sera from asymptomatic breeders detected this antigen. These results suggest that CRIF of PDE is a useful diagnostic tool, and that some unique component of PDE may be involved in the pathogenesis of pigeon breeder's disease.
Recommended Citation
MCCORMICK, DANIEL JON, "THE ANTIGENS OF PIGEON BREEDER'S DISEASE: STUDIES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE COMPONENTS IN PIGEON DROPPING EXTRACT (PDE)" (1981). Dissertations (1962 - 2010) Access via Proquest Digital Dissertations. AAI8211439.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations/AAI8211439