Tobacco Documents Online

TIII: COh\CIL FOIt TOI3ACCO RI:SISA3rCH -U.S.A., INC. F,y ~~ ~_! +< <4 ~:1„ September 4, 1974 MEMORANDUM TO: Drs. Bing, Feldman, Hockett, Liebow, Nordsiek and Sommers FROM: W. U. Gardnei SUBJECT: Application i010. Carl G. Pecker, M.D.. Departments of Pathology and Pharmacology, Cornell. University Medical College, New York City. "Investigation of the Role of Allergy to Tobacco Constituents in the Pathogenesis of Arteriosclerosis and Myocardial Infarction." The basic assumptions are that there are tobacco antigens or an antigen to which people may become sensitive, and (2) that a delayed hypersensitivity type of reaction may occur in the vascular endothelium, coronary as well as systemic and pulmonary and thus play some role in atherosclerotic vascular diFease and emphysema. These assumptions are based on a limited number of earlier reports and a few personal observations of the dermal responses to tobacco glycoprotein(s) (TGP). An aquous saline extract of all tobaccos tested, ppt. in 60$ (NH4)2303 showed only one brown hand that gave tests for glycoprotein and is referred to as the purified antigen. A second extract, petroleum ether, will be prepared because poison ivy has a toxic substance that even when burned will produce a violent reaction in some people. Both rabbits and patients will be used, the rabbits for the production of vascular disease and the patients for the detection of sensitivity by skin tests and the assay for increased antibody levels of IgE and comparing these responses among smokers and nonsmokers with and without vascular disease, even in children of smoking and nonsmoking mothers. Using a 1251 labeled TGP antibody attempts will be made to determine TGP in saliva and in serum. The tobacco leaf lipids (TLL) will also be studied. Similar studies will be done. The experiments on rabbits will involve sensitization to TGP of low and high cholesterol diets and looking for cascular lesions. Some experiments with newborn and young rabbits a cardiovascular anaphalactic response and probably a marked increase in vascular permeability. These experiments will be repeated with TGP. Also histamine inhibitors will be used to ameliorate somr. of the possible anaphalactoid changes. The possibility of all allergenic responses being similar is finally raised. They have not made it clear whether who tend to orr have many sensitivities are more prone to cardiovascular disease or why they think TGP might be specific. They plan to recruit a fellow who has training as an immunopathologist and support one graduate student on the program. A total of about $64,000.00 will be for the above and for technical assistance. They do have extensive support for rheumatic fever studies but this does not include tobacco. W.U.G. WUG:ek