title: Definition of the human T-cell epitopes of Fel d 1, the major allergen of the domestic cat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A heterodimeric acidic glycoprotein (Fel d 1) has been defined as the major allergen of the domestic cat. Because T-cell help is required for the initiation and maintenance of allergic responses, it is of importance to determine the T-cell-reactive regions of the Fel d 1 molecule.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overlapping peptides corresponding to the two chains of Fel d 1 were tested in proliferation assays on polyclonal T-cell lines and for the ability to bind Fel d 1-specific IgE in ELISA and histamine release assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Assay of T-cell lines derived from 53 subjects allergic to cats demonstrated that the majority of T-cell reactivity is found in chain 1 of Fel d 1. Two peptides (Fel-1 and Fel-2) containing major epitopes, alone or as a mixture, efficiently activated T cells and exhibited minimal detectable reactivity with IgE by ELISA or histamine release assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two Fel d 1 peptides containing major T-cell epitopes have been identified, have been shown to bind minimal Fel d 1-specific IgE, and are now being tested for the ability to decrease T-cell responses in patients with cat allergy as a new form of immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: ImmuLogic Pharmaceutical Corporation, Waltham, MA 02154, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Counsell
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ohman
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Greenstein
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Garman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D006023:Glycoproteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C059296:Fel d 1 protein, Felis domesticus