The authors investigated the relationship between respiratory symptoms in adults and exposure to mite and cat allergens, the role of endotoxins in house dust, the effects of mixtures of several allergens, and interactions between allergen exposure and allergic sensitization.Within a nested case-control study, 405 subjects aged 25–50 yrs from two German cities answered a standardized questionnaire. Allergen-specific immunoglobulin-E was measured. Dust samples were taken from the subjects' homes to determine exposure to mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinusantigen 1Der p1) and (D. farinaeantigen 1Der f1) and cat (cat antigen d1Fel d1) allergen and endotoxin content in settled house dust.Exposure toDer f1 andDer p1 plusDer f1 >10 µg·g−1of mattress dust, respectively, increased the risk of wheeze and breathlessness (odds ratios (OR): 4.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.53–10.64, OR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.06–7.28).Fel d1 >8 µg·g−1was positively associated with cough at night (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.22–6.17), noteworthy also in the nonsensitized subjects. Subjects exposed to elevated concentrations of more than one allergen had an up to seven-fold increase in the risk of respiratory symptoms, compared to nonexposed subjects. Sensitized subjects exposed to elevated concentrations ofDer f1 orFel d1 were found to have the highest risk of asthma attacks and respiratory symptoms. No statistically significant association was found between exposure to endotoxins and respiratory health.Indoor exposure toDermatophagoides farinaeantigen 1 and cat antigen d1 is a risk factor for respiratory symptoms in adults, and for cat antigen d 1 even in nonsensitized subjects. The risk is increased if subjects are exposed to a mixture of allergens or if they are sensitized in addition to high exposure.
Background: Asthma is a complex genetic disease with more than 20 genome-wide scans conducted so far. Regions on almost every chromosome have been linked to asthma and several genes have been associated. However, most of these associations are weak and are still awaiting replication.
Although the physicochemical characteristics of isolated Cav p 1 are very similar to those for other rodent allergens and furthermore partial sequence identity with Mus m 1 was found, it is clearly shown here to be an immunologically independent major allergen.
To determine optimal conditions for allergen preservation, we investigated the influence of different stabilizing additives and of storage temperature on the allergen activity of apple protein preparations, obtained by extraction in phosphate buffer or by precipitation in diacetone alcohol and resolubilization in phosphate buffer in the presence or absence of enzyme inhibitors. For this purpose, the extracts were stored for 6 months either in frozen state at -20 degrees C or in lyophilized state at -20 degrees C, 4 degrees C, or room temperature and were characterized by SDS-PAGE, immunoblot, ELISA inhibition, and prick test. The highest stability revealed the extracts that were prepared by precipitation in the organic solvent in the presence of enzyme inhibitors, lyophilized, and stored at -20 degrees C. For storage of extract solutions at 4 degrees C, PBS/glycerol and cysteine/sodium citrate/glycerol were found to be the most effective stabilizing additives.
Our results indicate that current exposure to higher levels of house dust endotoxin might be associated with a decreased odds of allergic sensitization in adults.
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