Technique for definition and identification of allergenic molecules

The author describes a technique for identifying allergens using crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis. This is performed by adding allergic patients' sera to 'native', crossed immunoprecipitates obtained by ordinary crossed immunoelectrophoresis. The plates are stored in plastic boxes and the procedure is as follows: incubation with patient serum overnight, removal of the non-bound serum proteins by washing, reaction with immunoabsorbed 125I-anti-IgE, removal of non-bound 125I-anti-IgE by washing, performance of autoradiography with varying exposure time and Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining of plates for control. This method enables the demonstration of allergic patients' IgE response to individual allergens in complex allergenic mixtures. (C.F.)