Array 11 – Chemical Immune Reactivity Screen™

Description

Array 11 – Chemical Immune Reactivity Screen™

The Array 11 tests if the immune system is reacting to neo-antigen complexes formed by chemicals binding to human tissue proteins. Many chemicals by themselves aren’t immunogenic, but when they attach to body proteins, they can create a complex that the immune system might see as foreign.

What does this test measure?

This test likely includes:

• Metals like mercury, nickel, lead adducts (e.g., mercury binding to serum
  albumin or another protein, and antibodies against that complex).
• Plasticizers like BPA, phthalates bound to proteins.
• Formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, etc. adducted to proteins.
• Possibly petrochemicals or solvents.
• Styrene (monomer from plastics, binds to proteins).
• Organophosphate pesticide adducts.

Who is this test most suitable for?

People with high chemical exposures (industrial workers, agricultural pesticide exposure, dental amalgams containing mercury, etc.) who want to check if they have developed immune reactions; those on detox programs (to see if immune reactivity reduces over time); and environmentally conscious patients wanting a baseline.

Clinical Use

The presence of IgG/IgA/IgM to these indicates the person’s immune system has “seen” those chemical-protein complexes, which implies significant exposure and perhaps a propensity to chemical sensitivity or even autoimmunity (some theories suggest that these complexes can trigger autoimmune cross-reaction). Clinically, it’s used for individuals who suspect chemical sensitivities – e.g., they feel sick when exposed to certain environmental chemicals – to validate that their immune system is indeed reacting. It also might be used for autoimmune patients to see if chemicals are triggers (some autoimmune processes could be initiated by chemical modification of self-proteins). A positive result would guide avoidance of those chemicals and perhaps detox efforts. It’s like an allergy test but for chemicals (though not IgE, so more immune activation rather than classical allergy).