TY - JOUR
T1 - A case of insulin allergy
T2 - the crystalline human insulin may mask its antigenicity
AU - Takatsuki, Hiroshi
AU - Ishii, Hidehiro
AU - Yamauchi, Teruaki
AU - Nakashima, Naoki
AU - Nagase, Shouji
AU - Hisatomi, Akitaka
AU - Umeda, Fumio
AU - Nawata, Hajime
PY - 1991/5
Y1 - 1991/5
N2 - We report an unusual case of insulin allergy. A 48-year-old man with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus receiving biosynthetic isophane human insulin (Humulin N) developed itchy wheal-and-flare reactions at the sites of injection. When Humulin N was changed to a semi-synthetic crystalline human insulin zine (Novolin U), the allergic reactions completely disappeared. Evaluation of his serum showed a high level of insulin-specific IgE. Skin testing with all commercially available insulins showed immediate local reactions to all agents tested except for Novolin U. In addition, decrystallized Novolin U prepared by lowering the pH with acetic acid also induced a positive reaction. These observations suggest that the crystallized structure of human insulin may mask its antigenicity for allergic reactions.
AB - We report an unusual case of insulin allergy. A 48-year-old man with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus receiving biosynthetic isophane human insulin (Humulin N) developed itchy wheal-and-flare reactions at the sites of injection. When Humulin N was changed to a semi-synthetic crystalline human insulin zine (Novolin U), the allergic reactions completely disappeared. Evaluation of his serum showed a high level of insulin-specific IgE. Skin testing with all commercially available insulins showed immediate local reactions to all agents tested except for Novolin U. In addition, decrystallized Novolin U prepared by lowering the pH with acetic acid also induced a positive reaction. These observations suggest that the crystallized structure of human insulin may mask its antigenicity for allergic reactions.
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U2 - 10.1016/0168-8227(91)90091-Q
DO - 10.1016/0168-8227(91)90091-Q
M3 - Article
C2 - 1879305
AN - SCOPUS:0025735460
SN - 0168-8227
VL - 12
SP - 137
EP - 139
JO - Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
JF - Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
IS - 2
ER -