title: Analysis of human T cell responses to the group II allergen of Dermatophagoides species: localization of major antigenic sites.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  IgE antibodies reactive with the group II allergens of Dermatophagoides species (house dust mite [HDM]) are a major component of the allergic immune response in HDM-allergic atopic individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we demonstrate, with the use of overlapping synthetic peptides of the group II allergen of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p II), that polyclonal T cells isolated from the majority of atopic HDM-allergic individuals and healthy nonatopic control subjects respond to Der p II and that T-cell epitopes are present in all regions of the protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From comparison of peptide-specific T-cell proliferation in both groups of individuals, it appears that together peptides 61-86 and 78-104 are the most frequently recognized (16 of 18 individuals). We also observed that nine of the 18 individuals responded to T-cell epitopes in the region 11-50, and with Der p II-reactive T-cell clones, three distinct T-cell epitopes were mapped within the sequence 11-35. Also, with the use of T-cell clones, two additional epitopes were identified at residues 81-96 and 91-101.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that T-cell epitopes located in these regions (11-50 and 61-104) are immunodominant. The value of this information in the potential application of Der p II peptides to desensitize HDM allergic responses is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: O'Hehir
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verhoef
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panagiotopoulou
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keswani
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hayball
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lamb
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004391:Dust; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D004391:Dust; D006023:Glycoproteins; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010455:Peptides