Monoclonal antibody against a major latex allergen reacts with latex products and ammoniated natural latex

Spina bifida patients have been shown to be a high‐risk group for latex allergy. Of the several latex proteins identified from nonammoniated natural latex, a polypeptide with a molecular mass of about 23 kDa was shown to be one of the major allergens reacting with IgE in the sera from such patients. Using hybridoma technology, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) 1E2 against the 23‐kDa latex allergen was produced. The presence of the 23‐kDa or related allergens in finished latex products was evaluated using 1E2. Of the 16 extracts of finished latex products, 12 reacted with 1E2. The other four products are not used in health care. Since the majority of latex products used in health care are manufactured from ammoniated latex and ammoniation may alter latex proteins, we also investigated the effect of ammoniation on the 23‐kDa allergen. Although ammoniation degraded latex proteins, the 23‐kDa antigen could still be detected by using mAb 1E2 on immunoblot of ammoniated latex proteins. Furthermore, ammoniation resulted in the appearance of additional proteins in high molecular weight positions not present in nonammoniated natural latex, which retained the 23‐kDa epitope. The 23‐kDa allergen could also be detected on surgical gloves after extensive washing.