New assay promises early detection of anaphylaxis.(Disease/Disorder overview)(Brief article)

Miami Beach -- Mast cell carboxypeptidase shows promise as a new clinical marker for anaphylaxis, Dr. Xiaoying Zhou and her associates reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

Assays for tryptase have proved useful in the laboratory diagnosis of anaphylaxis. But in a substantial number of cases, increased circulating levels of this mast cell product cannot be detected. Using a pair of specific monoclonal antibodies, CA4 and CA5, British investigators have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting carboxypeptidase, a protease that is released with tryptase by activated mast cells and is an important …