Short communication Protein and allergen content of various natural latex articles Baur X, Chen Z, Raulf-Heitnsoth M, Degens P. Prole eontent of various natural latex articles. Allergy 1997: 52: 661-664. © Munksgaard 1997. potential setisitizers. In the present work, we quantified the releasable proteiti atul allergeti eontents in 37 brands of lalex gloves and 26 other latex produets. Our results deniotistrate the presetiee of widely varied proteiti and allergen contents iti various latex artieles and the laek of a eorrelation between the protein and allergen values. These findings may assist hospital tiianagement and niedieal staff to take el'feetive preventive measures. X. Baur, Z. Chen, M. Raulf-Heimsoth, P. Degens Institute for Occupational Medicine (BGFA), Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany Key words: allergy; glov Prof Dr, med, X, Baur BGFA Burkle-de-la-Camp-Plat D-44789 Bochum Germany Accepted for publicatio Type I allergy fo profeins released by articles made of natural latex has becotne a growing problem in recent years (1-8). High-risk populatiotis include medica] staff and patients with spina bifida or urogenital disorders undergoing multiple medical investigations and operations. Latex proteins cause sensitization due to direct skin contact as well as to inhalative uptake after absorption of glove powder that has become airborne (6, 9-13). Because of different production procedures, which include protein degradation and/or leaching by various tnethods, a broad range of allergens exists in latex-made products. Our study aimed to tiieas- ure releasable allergens and proteins frotn com- mercially available gloves and other latex articles. Material and methods The amount of total water-extractable proteins associated with natural rubber products was deter- mined by the modified Lowry tnethod, according to the recotnmendation of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) (the standard test tnethod for analyzing proteins in natural rub- ber and its products; ASTM D 5712-95, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 14.02, June 1995). Briefly, 6-10 g of latex glove tnaterial or other latex products was cut into small pieces (=«<1 cnr) and extracted in distilled water (8 ml per gram of natural rubber specimen) for 2 h at 37°C. After removal of rubber particles by centrifugation at 1000 g for 10 tnin, the extract containing aqueous soluble proteins was passed through a low protein- binding filter (Millipore) of 0.45 |itn pore size. For removal of the interfering substances, a precipita- tion of proteins in the extract was carried out by adding 0.1 tnl of 0.15% (w/v) sodium deoxycholate (DOC) to 1 ml of test protein extract. After vor- texing and standing for 10 min at room tetnpera- ture, 0.1 ml of 72% (w/v) trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and 0.1 ml of 72% (w/v) phosphotutigstic acid (PTA) were added. After another 20 min at rootn temperature, the extract mixture was centti- fuged for 15 tnin at 6000 g, and the supernatant was t emoved. The protein pellet was completely redis- solved in 0.1 N NaOH. The protein content was then detertnined with a Lowry reagents kit from Bio-Rad (catalog no. 500-0116) and the ovalbumin as standard protein. Tlie quantitative analysis of latex allergens in the extracts of latex articles was achieved by a competitive RAST-immunoinhibition assay using the Pharmacia CAP System. As source antibodies, a serutn pool (latex-lgE value: 11.4 kU/1 in CAP) from five latex-allergic health-care workers was used. All five patients were shown by clinical history to have suffered frotn workplace-related urticaria, and four also had rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and bronchial