title: IgE antibodies against midge and moth found in Japanese asthmatic subjects and comparison of allergenicity between these insects.
abstract: The specific IgE antibodies to moth (Bombyx mori) and midge (Chironomus yoshimatsui) were measured by the Pharmacia CAP system in 51 house-dust-mite-sensitive asthma patients. None of these patients had definite histories of exposure to these insects or apparent evidence of insect-induced asthma symptoms. The RAST-inhibition assay was performed to investigate cross-allergenicity between these two insects. Furthermore, IgE immunoblotting was done to study the IgE-binding components in moth and midge extracts. Thirty (59%) of these patients showed positive IgE antibodies to moth, while 25 (49%) showed positive IgE antibodies to midge. Those frequencies of positivity were similar to that for Japanese cedar pollen, which is well known to cause allergy. A significant correlation (r = 0.863) was observed between IgE antibody titers of these two insects. The results from the RAST-inhibition assay indicated cross-allergenicity between these insects and also the existence of species-specific allergens. Fifteen IgE-binding components in moth extract were observed. The most frequent IgE-binding protein was the 79-kDa (84.2%), followed by the 72-kDa (78.9%), the 82-kDa (57.9%), and the 76-kDa (57.9%) proteins. Those were considered to be major allergens in moth. Twenty-four IgE-binding components in midge extract were observed. However, no IgE-binding protein to which over 50% of patient sera reacted was observed. These results suggest that these two insects may be considered to bear important allergens and that there is cross-allergenicity between these insects as well as species-specific allergens.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, St Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komase
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D012831:Bombyx / Q000276:immunology*; D002683:Chironomidae / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E