Characterization of latex antigens and allergens in surgical gloves and natural rubber by immunoelectrophoretic methods.

Allergy to natural rubber (latex) products is increasingly frequent among both medical personnel and lay subjects. Although individual antigens and allergens in latex products have not been fully characterized, they are believed to derive from the sap of the rubber tree. Rabbit IgG and human IgE antibodies against rubber proteins were used to characterize antigens and allergens in surgical latex gloves and natural rubber by crossed immunoelectrophoresis and its modifications. The results from crossed-line immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated that the surgical latex gloves had at least 10 antigens in common with natural rubber sap and ammoniated latex. In crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis, at least six of the 10 protein antigens in the surgical glove extract and natural rubber were allergens since they bound IgE antibodies from the latex-allergic patients' sera. The surgical glove extract also demonstrated one allergen not found in natural rubber, suggesting that rubber proteins may be altered during glove manufacture.