Cytokine responses to Der p 1 and Der p 7: house dust mite allergens with different IgE-binding activities.
BACKGROUND
There is very limited information comparing T-cell responses to different house dust mite (HDM) allergens even though T cells are essential in the initiation and regulation of immunoglobulin (Ig) E synthesis and eosinophilia.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the level of T-cell proliferation and cytokine production to the group 1 and group 7 HDM allergens which are known to have different IgE-binding capabilities.


METHODS
Freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HDM-allergic and HDM-nonallergic donors were stimulated with the group 1 and group 7 allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and the level of proliferation as well as IL-5 and IFNgamma production were measured.


RESULTS
The proliferative and IL-5 production to the group 1 and group 7 allergens were equivalent despite the group 7 allergen's lower frequency of IgE-binding. However more IFNgamma was produced to Der p 7 than to Der p 1, particularly for the nonallergic donors. As expected IL-5 production was much higher for PBMC from the allergic donors than for cells from nonallergics; however, there was no difference in the level of T-cell proliferation between the donor groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The relative importance of the individual HDM allergens is normally determined by measuring the frequency of IgE-binding to the allergen in sera from an allergic population. The equivalent increased IL-5 response of PBMC from allergic people to the group 1 and group 7 allergens despite the different IgE-inducing activity indicates that these allergens may be equally capable of contributing to an asthmatic response by inducing eosinophilia.
Hales
B J
BJ
TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, PO Box 855, West Perth WA 6872, Australia.
Shen
H
H
Thomas
W R
WR
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000915:Antibody Affinity / Q000276:immunology*; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D016207:Cytokines; D006023:Glycoproteins; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma