Enzymatic methods for the evaluation of the allergenic potency of house dust extracts.
House dust extracts are known to contain powerful proteolytic enzymes. The significance of these proteases is supported by the recently reported association of major dust mite allergens with serine and/or cysteine proteases. The proteolytic activity of house dust extracts, therefore, represents an allergologically relevant parameter for mite-derived allergens. However, several other major allergens in extracts of animal and insect excreta (e.g., from cockroaches) have been shown to possess protein hydrolase properties. Furthermore, acid phosphatase activities are known to correlate well with allergenic potency in several pollen extracts. The present study reports on the quantitative estimation of these two enzymes in relation to human antimite IgE-binding potency in 20 different dust samples from Spanish houses.
Marañón
F
F
Research Group C.B.F. LETI, Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain.
Berrens
L
L
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis*; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis*
D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases