title: Identification of a functional Antigen5-related allergen in the saliva of a blood feeding insect, the tsetse fly.
abstract: Our previous screening of a Glossina morsitans morsitans lamdagt11 salivary gland expression library with serum of a tsetse fly exposed rabbit identified a cDNA encoding Tsetse Antigen5 (TAg5, 28.9 kDa), a homologue of Antigen5 sting venom allergens. Recombinant TAg5 was produced in Sf9 cells in order to assess its immunogenic properties in humans. Plasma from a patient that previously exhibited anaphylactic reactions against tsetse fly bites contained circulating anti-TAg5 and anti-saliva IgEs. In a significant proportion of plasma samples of African individuals, TAg5 and saliva binding IgEs (respectively 56 and 65%) can be detected. Saliva, harvested from flies that were subjected to TAg5- specific RNA interference (RNAi), displayed significantly reduced IgE binding potential. Allergenic properties of TAg5 and tsetse fly saliva were further illustrated in immunized mice, using an immediate cutaneous hypersensitivity and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis assay. Collectively, TAg5 was illustrated to be a tsetse fly salivary allergen, demonstrating that Antigen5-related proteins are represented as functional allergens not only in stinging but also in blood feeding insects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caljon
authors.forename: Katleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Broos
authors.forename: Ine
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Goeyse
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Ridder
authors.forename: Jeremy M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sternberg
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coosemans
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Baetselier
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guisez
authors.forename: Jan Van
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Den Abbeele
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000276:immunology*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D014370:Tsetse Flies / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000906:Antibodies; D019476:Insect Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E