Mouse allergen-specific antibody responses in inner-city children with asthma.
BACKGROUND
Although mouse allergen exposure is common in inner-city homes, little is known about the relationships between exposure and humoral immune responses to mouse allergen in this population.


OBJECTIVE
To examine relationships between mouse allergen exposure and allergen-specific IgE and IgG responses in inner-city children with asthma.


METHODS
Inner-city children with asthma underwent skin testing and venipuncture for determination of mouse allergen-specific IgE and IgG levels. Settled dust samples were collected from their homes for allergen analysis.


RESULTS
The study population (n = 112) was predominantly African American (92%) with a mean age of 4.4 years. The prevalence rate of mouse sensitization was 25% and did not consistently increase with increasing Mus m 1 levels. Instead, the prevalence rate was lowest among those exposed to <2 microg/g, increased among those exposed to 2-7.9 microg/g and 8-29.9 microg/g, and then decreased among participants exposed to >29.9 microg/g (14%, 20%, 40%, and 28%, respectively). Similarly, the prevalence rates of mouse allergen-specific IgG and IgG(4) did not increase across increasing exposure categories. Mouse allergen-specific IgG and IgG(4) were strongly associated with IgE sensitization (odds ratios [95% CI], 82.8 [20.5-334.4] and 50.4 [14.0-181.7], respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
High-level exposure to mouse allergen in children may be associated with attenuated humoral responses of all isotypes rather than selective attenuation of IgE.


CONCLUSIONS
Protection against allergic sensitization by high-dose allergen exposure may not be mediated by preferential production of IgG over IgE.
Matsui
Elizabeth C
EC
Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. ematsui@jhmi.edu
Eggleston
Peyton A
PA
Breysse
Patrick N
PN
Rand
Cynthia S
CS
Diette
Gregory B
GB
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000276:immunology*; D014505:Urban Population
D000485:Allergens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C518791:Mus m 1 allergen, Mus musculus; D007073:Immunoglobulin E