title: Different Bla-g T cell antigens dominate responses in asthma versus rhinitis subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The allergenicity of several German cockroach (Bla-g) antigens at the level of IgE responses is well established. However, less is known about the specificity of CD4+ TH responses, and whether differences exist in associated magnitude or cytokine profiles as a function of disease severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proteomic and transcriptomic techniques were used to identify novel antigens recognized by allergen-specific T cells. To characterize different TH functionalities of allergen-specific T cells, ELISPOT assays with sets of overlapping peptides covering the sequences of known allergens and novel antigens were employed to measure release of IL-5, IFNγ, IL-10, IL-17 and IL-21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using these techniques, we characterized TH responses in a cohort of adult Bla-g-sensitized subjects, either with (n = 55) or without (n = 17) asthma, and nonsensitized controls (n = 20). T cell responses were detected for ten known Bla-g allergens and an additional ten novel Bla-g antigens, representing in total a 5-fold increase in the number of antigens demonstrated to be targeted by allergen-specific T cells. Responses of sensitized individuals regardless of asthma status were predominantly TH 2, but higher in patients with diagnosed asthma. In asthmatic subjects, Bla-g 5, 9 and 11 were immunodominant, while, in contrast, nonasthmatic-sensitized subjects responded mostly to Bla-g 5 and 4 and the novel antigen NBGA5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asthmatic and nonasthmatic cockroach-sensitized individuals exhibit similar TH 2-polarized responses. Compared with nonasthmatics, however, asthmatic individuals have responses of higher magnitude and different allergen specificity.
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: M B C
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schulten
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oseroff
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dullanty
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frazier
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Belles
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Piulachs
authors.affiliation: Federal Systems Division, Rho Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Visness
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bacharier
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Bloomberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Busse
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sidney
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sette
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020048:Blattellidae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010455:Peptides
keywords: CD4+ T cell; asthma; cockroach allergy; epitope