Reactivity to recombinant house-dust-mite allergens in asthma and rhinitis in a tropical environment.
BACKGROUND
House-dust mites contain components that are allergenic in mite-sensitive patients, and a number of these have been produced in recombinant form.


METHODS
In the present study, we evaluated by skin prick testing the positivity to native Der p 2 and recombinant Der p 2, Der p 5, and Der p 7 allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in patients with rhinitis, asthma, or a combination of these diseases, who were positive to whole-mite extract.


RESULTS
In all patients, the positivity to both native and recombinant Der p 2 was high. In patients with either rhinitis or asthma, the reactivity to Der p 5 and 7 was significantly lower than to Der p 2. However, in patients with combined disease, the positivity to the minor allergens was almost as high as that to Der p 2.


CONCLUSIONS
These results raise the question of whether patients with combined allergic rhinitis and asthma, when compared to those with either of these diseases alone, are predisposed to react to a wider range of mite allergens, or, inversely, whether patients who respond to the minor allergens are more susceptible to suffering the combined disease.
Instituto de Biomedicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas.
N R
NR
Lynch
F A
FA
Puccio
M C
MC
Di Prisco
R I
RI
Lopez
L A
LA
Hazell
W A
WA
Smith
W R
WR
Thomas
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014687:Venezuela
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D004391:Dust; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D005982:Glutathione Transferase