title: Identification of an immunodominant region of the major house dust mite allergen Der p 2 presented by common human leucocyte antigen alleles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Better understanding of the relevance of the immune response to common environmental allergens, such as the major house dust mite (HDM) allergen Der p 2, requires characterization of constituent T-cell epitopes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify CD4(+) T-cell epitopes within Der p 2 recognized by commonly expressed human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alleles.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA-blocking antibodies, peptide pools and truncations were used in ELISpot assays to establish restricted T-cell epitopes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People with and without atopic dermatitis have detectable Der p 2-specific T cells in the peripheral blood, which can proliferate in response to Der p 2 peptides. Interleukin-4-specific responses, both ex vivo and cultured to Der p 2 peptides, had a significant positive correlation with HDM-specific serum IgE. Within one pool of Der p 2 peptides, the 20mer D11 was found to induce multiple responses restricted through several alleles, including HLA-DPB1*0401 and HLA-DRB1*01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have identified an immunogenic region of Der p 2 presented by common HLA class II alleles, including the most commonly expressed HLA allele DPB1*0401. Identification of such epitopes may be of future value in peptide immunotherapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: MRC Human Immunology Unit, University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Crack
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McPherson
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ogg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology*; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D004391:Dust; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; C451163:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus antigen p 2; D004391:Dust; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma