title: Detection of an allergen in dog dander that cross-reacts with the major cat allergen, Fel d 1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A considerable proportion of animal-allergic patients are sensitized to both cat and dog allergens but knowledge about cross-reactive allergens in cat and dog dander is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether dog dander contains an allergen that cross-reacts with the major cat allergen, Fel d 1.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recombinant Fel d 1 with the same immunological properties as natural Fel d 1 was used for quantitative (CAP) IgE competition experiments performed with sera obtained from cat-allergic patients (n=36). A Fel d 1 cross-reactive dog allergen was characterized by one- and two-dimensional immunoblotting using rFel d 1 for IgE inhibition experiments and with monospecific, polyclonal rabbit anti-recombinant Fel d 1 antibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 25% of Fel d 1-reactive cat-allergic patients, more than 50% inhibition of IgE reactivity to dog allergens was achieved with recombinant Fel d 1. An Fel d 1 cross-reactive 20 kDa allergen with a pI of approximately 3.4 was detected in dander extracts of several different dog breeds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report demonstrating the presence of an Fel d 1-like allergen in dog dander extracts, which may be responsible for double positivity to cat and dog in serology. However, the clinical relevance of this cross-sensitization needs to be confirmed. These results are important for the diagnostic and therapeutic use of dog dander allergen extracts.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reininger
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zach
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balic
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lindemeier
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Swoboda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grönlund
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Hage
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rumpold
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valenta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spitzauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004285:Dogs; D004391:Dust; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C522890:Can f 3 allergen, Canis familiaris; D004391:Dust; C522889:Fel d 2 allergen, Felis domesticus; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; C091462:allergen Can f I; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C059296:Fel d 1 protein, Felis domesticus