Relationship of Atopens of Timothy (Phleum Pratense) and Australian Rye (Lolium Multiflorum) Grasses as Indicated by Passive Transfer Studies.

Abstract

There is an assumption that the atopens of timothy grass pollen contain atopens that will protect patients who are sensitive to other grasses. The basis for this belief has been the clinical evidences of satisfactory results. Coca and Grove added the weight of experimental evidence to this hypothesis when they demonstrated that the timothy atopens contained the atopens of June, orchard and red top grasses. Botanical surveys of the San Francisco and peninsula areas indicate that Australian rye grass pollen is an important factor in pollen hypersensitiveness. It was of interest to determine whether the timothy atopens might contain the rye grass atopens and this question was studied experimentally on human beings by means of the local transfer technic. The observations which will be detailed elsewhere show definitely that the timothy atopen does not contain the rye grass atopen while, on the other hand, the rye grass atopen does contain the timothy atopen. It is quite evident that the treatment of patients with timothy pollen extract alone will not protect patients who are clinically exposed to rye grass pollen. On the contrary, however, a definite group of patients who are exposed to timothy pollen may be protected by the use of rye grass extract.