Significance of specific IgG subclass antibodies to house dust mites in asthmatic children.
BACKGROUND
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) and Dermatophagoides farinae (Df), the major components of house dust, are considered to be etiologic factors of extrinsic asthma. The relationships between immunoglobulin (Ig) G subclass antibodies specific for Dp (or Df) were compared in specific IgE-positive and -negative asthmatic children.


METHODS
Serum levels of IgG and IgE subclass antibodies specific for Dp and Df were studied in 52 children (age, 3-13 years; mean age, 8.4 years) with asthma using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The skin prick test was also used in diagnosis of the reactivity of allergic disease.


RESULTS
The levels of serum-specific IgG1 and IgG2 to Dp and Df in mite-specific IgE-(or skin-test) positive asthmatic children were significantly higher than those in mite-specific IgE- (or skin test) negative children (p < 0.01). Significant correlations between the level of the specific IgE and IgG1 (r = 0.6067; p = 0.0001) or IgG2 (r = 0.5851; p = 0.0002) to Dp, and IgG1 (r = 0.3823; p = 0.0214) or IgG2 (r = 0.5057; p = 0.0017) to Df were found. The specific IgE level and skin test reactivity showed a high correlation of greater than 96% (50/52).


CONCLUSIONS
The levels of mite-specific IgG subclasses were partially compatible to specific IgE levels and skin test reactivity. We conclude that house dust mite allergy is significantly associated with specific IgG1, IgG2 and IgE responses.
Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
R B
RB
Tang
L C
LC
Tsai
P L
PL
Chao
M W
MW
Hung
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004391:Dust; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification*; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*
D004391:Dust; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E