Cross-allergenicity of the house dust mites Euroglyphus maynei and Blomia tropicalis.
BACKGROUND
The domestic mites Euroglyphus maynei and Blomia tropicalis frequently co-inhabit homes in subtropical/tropical regions around the world. Both species are the source of substances that cause allergic reactions in patients.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the immunologic cross-reactivity between E. maynei and B. tropicalis.


METHODS
Sera of 19 mite-sensitive patients who were skin test positive to B. tropicalis and/or RAST positive to E. maynei were used to probe immunoblots or crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE) gels.


RESULTS
Western blotting showed that individual sera had IgE that bound to 0 to 17 and 2 to 15 proteins in E. maynei and B. tropicalis extracts, respectively. Corresponding IgE-binding proteins of 105, 75, 57, 18, and 14 kD were detected in both E. maynei and B. tropicalis extracts. The majority of IgE-binding proteins did not show corresponding bands in both extracts. Heterologous CRIE showed IgE binding to six of the nine E. maynei antigens precipitated by anti-B. tropicalis serum with individual sera recognizing 0 to 4 of the six allergens. In the reciprocal reaction, 10 of the 12 proteins of B. tropicalis that were precipitated by anti-E. maynei serum bound IgE with individual sera binding to 0 to 5 proteins.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated that E. maynei and B. tropicalis are the source of both species-specific and cross-reactive allergens, but most allergens in each extract were species-specific.
Morgan
M S
MS
Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA.
Arlian
L G
LG
Fernandez-Caldas
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011817:Rabbits; D012882:Skin Tests
D000485:Allergens; D000941:Antigens; D019476:Insect Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E