title: In vivo biological activity of recombinant Der p II allergen of house-dust mite.
abstract: The cDNA coding for one of the major allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Der p II, has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase. The recombinant material (r Der p II) was tested in the skin of house-dust allergic patients, and was found to be almost as active as the purified native allergen (n Der p II) in stimulating immediate hypersensitivity reactions. The positivity to r Der p II in these patients, who were selected for their skin-test reactivity to house-dust extract (HDE) and whole mite extract (WME), was over 60%, and 80% of their sera contained detectable IgE antibody against the recombinant allergen. The level of specific IgE antibody against r Der p II was a mean of 40% of that against WME in the sera of patients who were skin test positive to both allergen preparations. In contrast to the house-dust allergic patients, none of a group of allergic patients whose clinical history did not implicate house dust, and who were skin test negative to HDE or WME, were positive to r Der p II. Of interest was the observation that only 37% of a group of subjects who were skin test positive to HDE and WME, but who reported no clinical history of allergic disease upon natural exposure to house dust, reacted to r Der p II. These results demonstrate the biological activity of r Der p II, and indicate, in persons skin test positive to house-dust mite extract, an association between reactivity to Der p II and the manifestation of clinical symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine, Central University of Venezuela, Caracas.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Di Prisco
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D002648:Child; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D000939:Epitopes; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E