title: The cysteine protease activity of the major dust mite allergen Der p 1 selectively enhances the immunoglobulin E antibody response.
abstract: The house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen Der p 1 is the most immunodominant allergen involved in the expression of dust mite-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated hypersensitivity. The reason for this potent IgE-eliciting property of Der p 1 remains unknown, but there is mounting in vitro evidence linking the allergenicity of Der p 1 to its cysteine protease activity. Here we demonstrate for the first time that immunization of mice with proteolytically active Der p 1 results in a significant enhancement in total IgE and Der p 1-specific IgE synthesis compared with animals immunized with Der p 1 that was irreversibly blocked with the cysteine protease inhibitor E-64. We conclude that the proteolytic activity of Der p 1 is a major contributor to its allergenicity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gough
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Sewell
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shakib
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008925:Mites
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases