High exposure to rats is associated with lower rates of specific IgE and symptoms but an increased frequency of high specific IgG and IgG(4) production. Specific IgG(4) produced together with specific IgE may reduce the risk of developing work-related chest symptoms compared with when specific IgE is produced alone.

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The response to Rat n 1 is remarkably similar to the cow lipocalin allergen Bos d 2. T cell epitopes within lipocalins appear to co-localize with the conserved regions of the molecule. LAA is characterized by an increased production of IL-5. Investigation of other lipocalin allergens will provide further information about the allergenicity of this group of proteins.

Allergy to rodents in the workplace is an important occupational health problem affecting research, pharmaceutical and toxicological sectors and can have a serious impact on employees working in this area. Despite measures to reduce aeroallergen exposures to rodents in the workplace, there are few signs that this occupational health problem is declining. Rodent allergens are well characterized and exposure-response relationships have been demonstrated to be complex. More recently, the importance of rodent allergens outside of the workplace has been demonstrated in several studies of individuals with asthma. This review focuses on rodent allergy both in the workplace and in the home and examines the complex exposure-response relationships between allergen exposure and sensitization and asthma. Risk factors for rodent allergy and mechanisms of tolerance to rodent allergens are discussed.

Objectives: To identify the immunodominant T cell epitopes of the topoisomerase I protein in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and control subjects, using computational analysis software (TEPITOPE) and T cell proliferation assays. Methods: Six oligopeptides, predicted by TEPITOPE software as potential topoisomerase protein epitopes, were used to perform T cell proliferation assays in 21 patients with SSc and 15 healthy controls. Results: A positive response to at least one of the peptides was seen in 10/21 patients and 7/15 healthy controls. Among responders, the proliferative response was limited to a single peptide in 6/7 healthy controls, whereas 5/10 patients responded to more than one peptide. In responding patients a significant correlation was found between disease duration and number of peptides inducing a response (p = 0.007). Conclusions: Several T cell epitopes of the topoisomerase I protein have been identified and evidence has been found to suggest epitope spreading in patients with SSc.