title: Physico-chemical and clinico-immunologic studies on the allergenic significance of Aspergillus tamarii, a common airborne fungus.
abstract: Aspergillus-derived inhalant allergens play an important role in the etiology of allergic respiratory diseases. In the present study, we investigated the allergenic potential of Aspergillus tamarii, quantified its airborne content, identified its major/minor allergens, evaluated heterogeneity of patients' IgE response to its allergens and cross-reactivity of its allergens with other Aspergillus allergens. Skin prick tests with A tamarii extract were performed on 300 patients of bronchial asthma/allergic rhinitis and 20 healthy volunteers. Sixty-six patients (22%) elicited positive cutaneous reactions to A tamarii extract. Only one of the 20 non-allergic healthy volunteer showed a mild positive cutaneous reaction. Allergen-specific IgE levels increased with increase in patients' cutaneous response (0% in negative to 100% in 3+/4+). The skin positivity and allergen-specific IgE levels were significantly higher in patients compared to healthy volunteers (P>0.05). However, no differences were found for these two parameters among patients of bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma with allergic rhinitis. The airborne A tamarii allergen content was highest in February and October. A tamarii extract revealed at least 22 proteins (13.3-120 kDa). Seventeen of these proteins bound patients' IgE with six being major allergens (13.3, 23, 25, 34, 39.5, 43 kDa). Three major allergens (13.3, 34, 43 kDa) were found to cross-react with A flavus and one (34 kDa) with A niger. Our results revealed that A tamarii allergen(s) are present in the air, which might serve as important inhalant allergens in IgE-mediated allergic respiratory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Allergy & Applied Immunology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India.
authors.forename: Maansi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vermani
authors.forename: Vannan K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Vijayan
authors.forename: Balakrishnan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.forename: Mohd A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kausar
authors.forename: Mahendra K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000276:immunology; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052638:Particulate Matter; D007073:Immunoglobulin E