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.
Lynch
N R
NR
Instituto de Biomedicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas.
Puccio
F A
FA
Di Prisco
M C
MC
Lopez
R I
RI
Hazell
L A
LA
Smith
W A
WA
Thomas
W R
WR
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