Profiles of IgE Sensitization to Der f 1, Der f 2, Der f 6, Der f 8, Der f 10, and Der f 20 in Korean House Dust Mite Allergy Patients.
OBJECTIVE
Measurement of IgE specific to purified house dust mite (HDM) allergens may improve allergy diagnosis. This study aimed to investigate the sensitization profiles of Korean HDM allergic subjects suffering from respiratory allergy and atopic dermatitis (AD) to Der f 1, Der f 2, Der f 6, Der f 8, Der f 10, and Der f 20.


METHODS
Recombinant HDM allergens were produced in Pichia pastoris (Der f 1) or Escherichia coli (5 allergens). IgE reactivity to the individual recombinant allergens and total extract of mite was assessed by ELISA.


RESULTS
Der f 1 was recognized by 79.1%, Der f 2 by 79.1%, Der f 6 by 9.3%, Der f 8 by 6.2%, Der f 10 by 6.2%, and Der f 20 by 6.6% of the patients' sera tested, while the prevalence of IgE reactivity to total mite extract was 94.7%. Combination of Der f 1 and Der f 2 had a sensitivity of 87.6%. Specific IgE to Der f 2 alone was detected from 89.4% of HDM-sensitized respiratory allergy subjects and 92.3% to the combination of the 2 major allergens Der f 1 and Der f 2. However, sera from fewer patients with AD, namely 72.4% and 71.0%, recognized Der f 1 and Der f 2, respectively. The combination of 2 major allergens allowed diagnosis of 84.5% of the AD patients. No correlation between sensitization to specific allergens and HDM allergy entity was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Der f 2 was the most frequently sensitized allergen among the HDM-sensitized respiratory and AD patients in Korea, and the combination of the group 1 and 2 major allergens increased the diagnostic sensitivity. Minor allergens did not significantly improve diagnostic sensitivity. However, further studies are needed to analyze the relationship between sensitization to other HDM allergens and the disease entity of the HDM allergy.
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyoung Yong
KY
Jeong
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.; Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
June Yong
JY
Lee
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Mina
M
Son
Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Environmental Medical Biology and Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Myung Hee
MH
Yi
Department of Environmental Medical Biology and Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Tai Soon
TS
Yong
Department of Dermatology, Institute of Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jung U
JU
Shin
Department of Dermatology, Institute of Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kwang Hoon
KH
Lee
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yoon Ju
YJ
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyung Hee
KH
Park
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Hye Jung
HJ
Park
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jae Hyun
JH
Lee
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. parkjw@yuhs.ac.
Jung Won
JW
Park
Allergen; Component-resolved diagnosis; Dermatophagoides; House dust mites