title: Recombinant allergens for immunotherapy.
abstract: Many of the problems associated with using natural allergenic products for allergy diagnosis and treatment can be overcome using genetically engineered recombinant allergens. Over the past 10 years, the most important allergens from mites, pollens, animal dander, insects, and foods have been cloned, sequenced, and expressed. Allergens have diverse biological functions (they may be enzymes, enzyme inhibitors, lipocalins, or structural proteins). High-level expression systems have been developed to produce recombinant allergens in bacteria, yeast, or insect cells. Recombinant allergens show comparable immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody binding to natural allergens and show excellent reactivity on skin testing and in in vitro diagnostic tests. Recombinant allergens will enable innovative new strategies for allergen immunotherapy to be developed. These include peptide-based vaccines, engineered hypoallergens with reduced reactivity for IgE antibodies, nucleotide-conjugated vaccines that promote Th1 responses, and the possibility of developing prophylactic allergen vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Alisa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lisa D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Vailes
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pomés
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens