Measurement of mosquito Aedes vexans salivary gland-specific IgE and IgG antibodies and the distribution of these antibodies in human sera.
BACKGROUND
Lack of sensitive, reproducible, and specific immunoassays has hampered the evaluation and immunotherapy of mosquito allergy.


OBJECTIVE
We wanted to develop ELISAs for measurement of mosquito-specific IgE and IgG using salivary glands from the mosquito Aedes vexans.


METHODS
Microplates coated with the salivary gland antigen were sequentially incubated with serum samples or reference serum, goat antibody to human IgE or IgG, and enzyme-conjugated rabbit anti-goat IgG.


RESULTS
The specificity of the assays was demonstrated by the successful inhibition of the ELISA reactions with the mosquito antigens. Reproducible results were obtained; mean coefficients of variation between assays were 0.200 +/- 0.002 for the IgE measurement and 0.114 +/- 0.001 for the IgG measurement. The sensitivity of each assay was 0.39 U/mL. Using these assays, sera from 50 subjects with skin reactions to mosquito bites ranging from negative to strongly positive were analyzed for mosquito-specific IgE and IgG. The mean mosquito-specific IgE and IgG were significantly higher in subjects with skin reactions to mosquito bites than in those without skin reactions (P < .005), higher in females than males (P < .031), and slightly higher in atopics than nonatopics (P > .05). Also, there was a significant correlation between mosquito-specific IgE and IgG levels (r = .77, P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Specific, reproducible, and sensitive ELISAs have been developed for measurement of antibodies to Aedes vexans. Mosquito-specific IgE and IgG may involved in the development of sensitivity to mosquito bites.
Peng
Z
Z
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Yang
M
M
Simons
F E
FE
D000330:Aedes / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D012882:Skin Tests
D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E