Abstract: A method for identifying and quantifying chymopapain-specific IgE antibody levels in patient serum comprising binding chymopapain-specific IgE, if any, in the serum with chymopapain adhering to an insoluble support, conjugating the serum IgE with a labeled anti-IgE antibody, and measuring the level of labeled compound bound to the insoluble support or in the solution removed therefrom. Special reagents and their manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for identifying and quantifying allergen specific IgE levels in patent serum by conjugating the IgE in the serum with allergens adhering to an insoluble support, conjugating the serum IgE with an enzyme labeled anti-IgE antibody, contacting the enzyme label with a solution of a substrate which will yield a fluorescent product in the presence of the enzyme, and measuring the level of fluorescence in the solution. Special reagents and their manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for identifying and quantifying total IgE levels in patient serum by conjugating the IgE in the serum with anti-IgE antibody adhering to an insoluble support, conjugating the serum IgE with an enzyme labeled anti-IgE antibody, contacting the enzyme label with a solution of a substrate which will yield a fluorescent product in the presence of the enzyme, and measuring the level of fluoresence in the solution. Special reagents and their manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: An inhibition assay for measuring the potency of allergen extracts by incubating a mixture of allergen extract and reference allergen specific IgE in a buffered solution with an insoluble support to which reference allergen is adhered. The conjugated IgE adhering to the insoluble support is reacted with an enzyme labeled anti-IgE antibody and the enzyme label is contacted with a solution of a substrate which will yield a fluorescent product in the presence of the enzyme. The level of fluoresence in the solution is measured. The percentage of inhibition of the allergen specific IgE is determined from fluorescence levels measured for various extract concentrations.

Abstract: A chymopapain derivative having the enzymatic activity reduced by at least 95% while retaining the original allergenic activity of at least 90% is suitable for skin testing to detect allergic hypersensitivity to chymopapain and for treating patients exhibiting allergic hypersensitivity to chymopapain. The enzymatic activity can be blocked by reacting thiol groups of the enzyme with and iodoacetic acid, bromoacetic acid, or a salt, ester or amide derivative thereof, under conditions which block the undesirable enzymatic activity while retaining the desired allergenic activity.

Abstract: A proteinaceous cardioactive factor that exhibits positive inotropic activity and positive chronotropic activity has been partially extracted from mammalian plasma by precipitation with polyethylene glycol followed by cation exchange chromatography. The factor may be fractionated into two active fractions, one having an apparent molecular weight of about 130,000 daltons and the other having an apparent molecular weight of about 30,000 daltons, by gel filtration chromatography.