We examined the mucosal barrier function during
anaphylaxis induced by the
hapten N,N'-di-2,4,dinitrophenyl-lysine (
di-DNP-lysine) in BDF1 female mice immunized with dinitrophenylated Ascaris suum extract. Immunized mice were gavaged with 10 mg or 50 mg of
ovalbumin (OVA) with or without N,N'-di-2,4,-DNP-lysine (
di-DNP-lysine). Animals that received
di-DNP-lysine underwent
anaphylaxis and were observed to have significantly greater serum concentrations of immunoreactive OVA (iOVA) than control mice. The severity of
anaphylaxis, which varied with the dose of
di-DNP-lysine administered, influenced the uptake of OVA; greater amounts of iOVA were detected in serum of mice undergoing more severe
anaphylaxis. On gel permeation of serum from both groups of mice, immunoreactive OVA was found to have a molecular size similar to native OVA.
Di-DNP-lysine is a synthetic
hapten that reliably induced
anaphylaxis in sensitized animals challenged by gavage.
Anaphylaxis resulted in the uptake into the circulation of greater quantities of an unrelated
protein antigen present in the intestinal lumen. The
protein antigen that was taken up into the circulation appeared to be intact and thus may have an influence on the development of the immune response, or lack thereof, to this bystander
antigen.