Tobacco Documents Online

Tlu: Corxcih. FoR Tol;Acco RE81iARCli=-U.S.A., INc. August 30, 1978 MEMORANDUM 'f 1{~~0 0 ~ TO: Drs. Feldman, Hockett, Sommers and Stone FROM: W. U. Gardner SUBJECT: Appli cation 1014-B. G. J. Glesch, M.D., Mayo Clinic and Foundaticn, Rochester, Minnesota. "Human Hypersensitivity to Antigens from Tobacco." Progress. A large number of persons with and without emphysema or some other allergy-like disease were studied using the radioallergosorbent test (RAST). Some individuals were selected from the tobacco,growing states with the cooperation of physicians. This source provided sera from 93 patients; 10 showed elevated IgE to green tobacco extract by RA.ST. Tobacco smoke concentrate rarely showed elevated IgE levels whereas the extracts of green tobacco and cured tobacco gave significant numbers of elevated IgE levels; the levels with the green tobacco leaf were greater than with the cured tobacco. Persons responsive to the RAST test generally also responded by skin tests to small amounts of green tobacco extracts - ng amounts. Even noirmal persons showed a response -- flare and W heal -- to 1 mg amounts. This was considered to be a nonspecific irritation response. During the past year several patients showed significarEt reactivity in the RAST, indicating the presence of IgE antibodies reactive to tobacco leaf antigens. These allergens seem# cross reactive with allergens in ragweed. The applicant and associates are also working with ragweed sensitivity. Projection. Further studies will be done on persons with hypersensitivity to tobacco leaf. Further studies will be done on t he identification of the allergens in tobacco leaf extracts. If the aAlergens can be purified, attempts Will be made to detect antibodies in other immunoglobulins. Dr. Wyatt is sending 5-10 samples of smoke concentrate and these will be analyzo-l by the RAST test. So far there has been no protein found in the smoke concentrates that have been tested. Budget. The applicant has several large grants from other agencies but not on tobacco smoke or leaves. The progress and the proj ection argue for continuation.- W. U. Gardner IVUG:ek