In vitro method for determining allergic hypersensitivity

• US 4,031,197 A
• Filed: 07/07/1975
• Issued: 06/21/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GTE New Ventures Corporation
• Original Assignee: GTE New Ventures Corporation
• Inventors: Marinkovich, Vincent A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Padgett, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nucker, Christine M.
• Application Number:
  US05/593,649
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 424/1, 424/8, 424/12, 424/91, 23/230 B, 23/253 TP, 252/408
• US Class Current: 436/513
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0035 Vaccination diagnosis other than by injuring the skin, e.g. allergy test patches
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/548 Carbohydrates, e.g. dextran
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 530/868 involving autoimmunity, allergy, immediate hypersensitivity, delayed hypersensitivity, immunosuppression, or immunotolerance

Abstract

Allergic hypersensitivity of a number of patients to a large number of allergens is determined by coating a sheet of cellulosic material on both sides with an adherent hydrophobic material so as to leave a plurality of uncoated islands on one side of the sheet which are in register with a plurality of uncoated islands on the other side of the sheet and with the islands so placed that they lie in horizontal and vertical rows on the sheet, contacting each vertical row of islands with a separate identified allergen, contacting each horizontal row of islands with the serum of a patient, contacting all of the islands with an anti-IgE specific antiserum labeled with either a fluorescent material or a radioactive material and then identifying the islands containing fluorescent or radioactive material. Apparatus for carrying out the determination is described.

Claims

1. The method of simultaneously determining hypersensitivity of a number of human patients to a number of allergens which comprises providing a sheet of paper coated with a water impervious material so as to leave on the paper a large number of uncoated islands so arranged that each island lies in a horizontal row of islands and also in a vertical row of islands, enclosing the sheet in a jig having liquid receiving troughs in register with each horizontal row of islands, filling each trough with a separate identified allergen to impregnate the island areas with allergen, removing the allergens from the troughs and filling the troughs with an aqueous wash liquid to wash excess allergens from the paper, removing the wash liquid from the troughs and then removing the paper from the jig, enclosing the paper in a jig having liquid receiving troughs in register with the vertical rows of islands, filling each trough with diluted blood serum of a different human patient to contact the island areas with serum, removing the serums from the troughs, filling the troughs with an aqueous wash liquid to remove unreacted serum from the island areas, removing the wash liquid from the troughs and removing the paper from the jig, immersing the paper in a solution of anti-immunoglobulin E specific antiserum labeled with a cellulose inert fluorescent material or with a cellulose inert radioactive material and identifying the island areas which contain fluorescent or radioactive material.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the antiserum is labeled with a radioactive material and the sheet is placed in contact with a sheet of radiation sensitive material for a time sufficient to permit radioactive material contained on any island to cause radiation induced change of the radiation sensitive material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the radiation-sensitive material is an X-ray film.

4. A sheet of paper coated on both sides with a thin layer of an adherent hydrophobic material, the coating on the two sides being laid down so as to leave a plurality of uncoated islands on each side which are in register with the uncoated islands on the other side, the islands being so placed that they are in horizontal and vertical rows on the paper.

5. The sheets of paper defined in claim 4 wherein the center to center distances between adjacent islands in the vertical rows and in the horizontal rows are equal.

6. A jig for use in contacting island areas on a sheet of paper with liquid, comprising a generally rectangular top cover having a plurality of parallel troughs cut in its bottom surface and generally circular openings cut through the top surface to communicate with each end of each trough, a generally rectangular bottom member having a plurality of parallel troughs cut in its top surface and so arranged that the troughs in the bottom member and the troughs in the top cover are in register when the top cover is laid down on the bottom member and means for clamping the top cover and bottom member tightly together.