Analysis of Antigens in a Commercial House‐Dust Extract by Means of Quantitative Immunoelectrophoresis

Abstract

Crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) of a commercial house-dust extract revealed 43 immunoprecipitates. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis with 106 different allergen extracts from animal hair and dander, feathers, fungi, pollen, foodstuffs, textiles and house-dust mites showed the presence of precipitating antibodies in the rabbit anti-house-dust serum against antigens from 34 of the extracts. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis with the addition of antigen, and crossed line immunoelectrophoresis (CLIE) with these 34 allergen extracts, as well as crossed immunoelectrophoresis with intermediate gel containing rabbit antibodies against nine human serum proteins, allowed the identification of 14 antigens in the house-dust extract. These antigens were shown to originate from house-dust mites, hair and dander from various animals, fungi, feathers, human hair and dander, and human serum proteins.

Quantitation of major allergens in dust samples from urban populations collected in different seasons in two climatic areas of the Basque region (Spain)

“…For more than 20 years, the mites of the Pyroglyphidae family have been considered to be the main allergenic source in house dust (36). However, other potent allergens occur in dust such as those of the dander of pet animals (2,14,18), molds (7), cockroach (24), and other mite famihes (3,12).…”

Contemporary Topics in Molecular Immunology

“…Subsequent to washing, 12sI-labeled anti-IgE is added and, after ineubation and further washings, autoradiography is performed. The eombination of erossed immunoeleetrophoresis and erossed radioimmunoeleetrophoresis has been used sueeessfully to identify major and minor allergens in a number of important allergen sourees including timothy grass pollen (Nielsen et al, 1974), animal hair and dander (Lowenstein et al, 1976a;Prahl et al, 1978), wheat flour (Blands et al, 1976), the fungus Cladosporium herbarnm (Lowenstein et al, 1977), eodfish (Aukrust et al, 1978), and house dust (Carlsen et al, 1979). (See also this review, Seetion V.A.)…”