title: T and B cell responses to HDM allergens and antigens.
abstract: House dust mites provide well-characterized proteins to study human responses to inhaled antigens. Even in the absence of allergy they induce a high frequency of T cell precursors. The healthy response manifests by T cell proliferation and Th1 cytokines with little antibody. Responses of allergic people include Th1 and Th2 cytokines and IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 antibodies. Regulatory cells limit effector responses in healthy people. About half the IgE and IgG antibodies bind the group 1 and 2 allergens and 30% bind the group 4, 5, and 7 allergens. Although HLA independent, the recognition of the group 1 allergen shows an immunodominant region and a T cell receptor bias. The major allergens are not produced in higher amounts than many of the poorly non-allergenic proteins. The non-allergenic mite ferritin antigen shows high T cell proliferative responses with mixed cytokine production.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Child Health Research University of Western Australia, Telethon Institute for Child, Health Research, 100 Roberts Road, Subiaco, Western Australia, 6008, Australia. wayne@ichr.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Wayne R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Belinda J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hales
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000941:Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins