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β2A-Globulin as a Possible Carrier of Allergic Reaginic Activity

Abstract

REAGINS of the hay-fever type have never been clearly identified with either of the two serum protein fractions usually associated with antibody activity, namely, γ-globulin (7Sγ) and β2M-globulin (19Sγ). It is known, however, that there exists a third serum protein, which is immunologically and functionally related to γ-globulin1, and which is also a carrier of antibody activity2. This third component is β2A-globulin, which was first isolated and described by one of us3. Though the presence of β2A-globulin in reaginic fractions has been suggested4, and its possible role in allergic phenomena considered5, positive evidence has never been brought forward that β2A-globulin might be the essential carrier of reaginic activity. This may be due to the fact that all skin-sensitizing preparations so far obtained contained appreciable amounts of γ-globulin.

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References

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HEREMANS, J., VAERMAN, JP. β2A-Globulin as a Possible Carrier of Allergic Reaginic Activity. Nature 193, 1091–1092 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/1931091b0

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