title: Lack of human IgE cross-reactivity between mite allergens Blo t 1 and Der p 1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The group 1 mite allergens are the most significant indoor allergens and they belong to the papain-like cysteine protease family. To date there is only one published report on the isolation and characterization of group 1 allergens from Blomia tropicalis mites. The aims of the study are to determine the cross-reactivity between group 1 allergens and to evaluate their clinical importance in allergic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The full-length Blo t 1 gene was obtained by SMART RACE cDNA amplification method using gene-specific primers. The sequence alignment was performed using LOOK followed by three-dimensional homology modeling. The cDNA was expressed in Pichia pastoris as a secretory protein. Identification of native Blo t 1 in crude mite and spent mite medium extracts was done by Western immunoblot using monoclonal antibody. Allergenicity of recombinant Blo t 1 and native Der p 1 was examined by human IgE ELISA with 80 asthmatic sera.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cDNA sequence consists of 1105 base pairs, including 5'- and 3'-untranslating regions, encoding an open reading frame of 330 amino acid residues. The predicted molecular weight of the deduced protein was approximately 38 kDa. Blo t 1 shared 53 and 34% nucleotide and amino acid, respectively, sequence homology with Der p 1. Native Blo t 1 was detected in both crude mite and spent mite medium extracts, and its estimated molecular weight was about 26 kDa. The recombinant Blo t 1 reacted positively with IgE in 90 and 65% of sera from asthmatic children and adults, respectively, indicating that it is a major allergen. The correlation of human IgE reactivity between Blo t 1 and Der p 1 was low in these sera.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The full-length cDNA encoding group 1 Blomia tropicalis mite allergen (designated as Blo t 1) has been characterized and expressed from local mites in Singapore. This fecal allergen showed high frequency of human IgE reactivity with asthmatic sera in the tropics and there was a low correlation of IgE reactivity between Blo t 1 and Der p 1.
authors.affiliation: Bioprocessing Technology Centre, A*STAR, Singapore.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Soon
authors.forename: J D A
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Kolatkar
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Kolortkar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010843:Pichia; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; C473655:Blo t 1allergen, Blomia tropicalis; D014335:Tropomyosin; C111884:der p 10 protein, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D004247:DNA