STUDIES ON POISON IVY - INVITRO LYMPHOCYTE-TRANSFORMATION BY URUSHIOL-PROTEIN CONJUGATES

The isolation and purification of poison ivy urushiol is described. The preparation of urushiol‐ski protein and urushiol human serum albumin is also described. Lymphocytes from eleven donoi naturally sensitized to poison ivy and from four non‐sensitive individuals have been cultured fo 5 days in the presence of urushiol‐carrier conjugates. Lymphocytes from seven of the eleven sensitive, donors responded with a stimulation index greater than 3.0 to urushiol‐albumin conjugate. When urushiol‐skin protein conjugate was used as a stimulant, lymphocytes from only three of the eleven sensitive donors responded. The results suggest that urushiol‐protein conjugates can stimulate sensitive lymphocytes in vitro, although a response is not observed in every individual naturally sensitized to poison ivy. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved