Environmental detection of mouse allergen by means of immunoassay for recombinant Mus m 1.
BACKGROUND
Mouse urinary allergens are an important cause of occupational asthma in animal facilities. Domestic exposure to mouse allergens is a risk factor for asthma among inner-city residents.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to develop a sensitive and specific assay for assessing environmental mouse allergen exposure.


METHODS
An ELISA for recombinant (r)Mus m 1 was developed by using rabbit polyclonal antibodies to rMus m 1 that were affinity purified against the natural allergen. Assay specificity was established by means of immunoblotting and ELISA. Mus m 1 levels in mouse, other mammalian allergenic products, and house dust samples from inner-city homes were compared.


RESULTS
Polyclonal antibodies to Mus m 1 showed a single 20-kd band on immunoblots against rMus m 1 and male mouse urine. Parallel dose-response curves were obtained by using mouse urine extract and natural Mus m 1 or rMus m 1. Mus m 1 was detected in mouse allergenic products (0.10-10.0 microg/mL) and in gerbil allergenic products (0.1 microg/mL) but was less than the limit of detection in epithelial extracts from 10 other animal species. Environmental measurements showed an excellent correlation between Mus m 1 levels in house dust extracts from inner-city asthma studies by using 2 different Mus m 1 standards (n=22; r=0.99; P <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
A highly sensitive ELISA has been developed with rMus m 1. This assay is suitable for monitoring domestic and environmental exposure to mouse urinary allergens.
Department of Experimental Medicine Section of Chemistry and Structural Biochemistry University of Parma, Italy.
Elena
E
Ferrari
Amy
A
Tsay
Peyton A
PA
Eggleston
Alberto
A
Spisni
Martin D
MD
Chapman
D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine; D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D000485:Allergens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins