Alkaline serine proteinase from Aspergillus fumigatus has synergistic effects on Asp-f-2-induced immune response in mice.
BACKGROUND
Exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus allergens results in the sensitization and the development of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in susceptible individuals. Aspergillus antigen consists of a number of chemically diverse components and their cumulative or synergistic effect may result in disease. When mice were challenged with individual recombinant allergens, there was only reduced inflammation and immunological responses compared to the whole antigen. Various enzymes identified from A. fumigatus have been thought to cause airway damage. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of exposure to Asp f 13, an alkaline serine proteinase, and Asp f 2 in mice.


METHODS
BALB/c mice were challenged intranasally with Asp f 2 and Asp f 13 alone and in combination. The antibody response, pulmonary inflammation, and airway hyperreactivity were studied.


RESULTS
Results demonstrated no major difference in antibody response and airway responses among the different groups. The inflammatory responses in the lungs, however, showed marked differences in the various groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the similar immunological responses in the different groups of mice studied, the results demonstrate enhanced inflammation in the lungs of mice exposed to a combination of both allergens. Allergens with proteinase activity have been found to be involved in airway inflammation and remodeling, which may also apply for Aspergillus-induced allergy.
Kurup
Viswanath P
VP
Allergy-Immunology Division, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisc., USA.
Xia
Jin-Qi
JQ
Shen
Horng-Der
HD
Rickaby
David A
DA
Henderson
James D
JD
Fink
Jordan N
JN
Chou
Hong
H
Kelly
Kevin J
KJ
Dawson
Christopher A
CA
D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D001229:Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000201:enzymology*; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology*
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins; C106810:allergen Asp f 2, Aspergillus fumigatus; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C026109:oryzin