Simultaneous quantitation of specific IgE against 20 purified allergens in allergic patients sera by checkerboard immunoblotting (CBIB).

A simple technique, checkerboard immunoblotting (CBIB), is described for simultaneous quantitation of specific IgE antibodies against several allergens in human sera. Using as little as 50 microliters of each of the 20 sera examined against 20 different allergens, it was possible in a single run to achieve 400 tests. To guarantee high specificity and sensitivity of the assay, this new application of CBIB employs purified allergens, cyanogen bromide-activated nitrocellulose membrane, and Phosphorimager technology. Results are expressed both qualitatively (five classes) and quantitatively in kilo units per liter equilibrated against the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for IgE. There was excellent agreement between the results of CBIB and the results of Pharmacia Cap System, an alternative method widely used for measuring serum-specific IgE. The CBIB method certainly could be useful in any laboratory interested in allergy clinical research for easy screening and relative quantitation of allergen-specific human IgE.