Measurement and characterization of cockroach allergens detected during normal domestic activity

Lucca, Sandra D. De; Taylor, David; O'Meara, T.J.; Jones, Allan S.; Tovey, Euan R.

doi:10.1016/s0091-6749(99)70341-6

Cited by 63 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…A prospective birth cohort study of children of asthmatic/allergic parents showed that the level of cockroach allergen, but not that of dust mite or cat allergen, was a significant predictor of recurrent wheeze (4). Fecal remnants (frass) are a likely source of allergen exposure, because desiccated frass is thought to integrate into dust particles and become deposited into the airways (5). These studies highlight the importance of cockroach in the asthma phenotype and substantiate the use of German cockroach (GC) 3 frass in the current study.…”

Section: Tlr2-mediated Activation Of Neutrophils In Response Tosupporting

confidence: 63%

TLR2-Mediated Activation of Neutrophils in Response to German Cockroach Frass

Page

Lierl

Hughes

et al. 2008

The Journal of Immunology

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It is becoming increasingly clear that innate immune mediators play a role in regulating adaptive immune responses in asthma pathogenesis. Cockroach exposure is a major risk factor for the development of asthma. In this study we asked whether German cockroach (GC) feces (frass) could initiate an innate immune response. Naive BALB/c mice were challenged with a single intratracheal inhalation of GC frass. Proinflammatory cytokines were significantly increased in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at 3 h and were maintained at higher than baseline levels for at least 24 h. Neutrophil migration into the airways was evident as early as 3 h but was maximal between 6 and 24 h postinhalation. The early increase in cytokine expression was independent of TLR2 or TLR4. Newly infiltrated airway neutrophils were responsible for maintaining high levels of cytokines in the airways. Using neutrophils as an early marker of the innate immune response, we show that show that neutrophils isolated from the airways following GC frass inhalation express TLR2 and release cytokines. GC frass directly affected neutrophil cytokine production via TLR2, but not TLR4, as evidenced by the use of TLR-neutralizing Abs and neutrophils from TLR-deficient mice. Activation of cytokine expression occurred via GC frass-induced NF-κB translocation and DNA binding. These data show that GC frass contains a TLR2 agonist and, to our knowledge, this is the first report of an allergen directly activating cells of the innate immune system via TLR2 and suggests an important link between innate and adaptive immunity.

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Section: Tlr2-mediated Activation Of Neutrophils In Response Tosupporting

confidence: 63%

TLR2-Mediated Activation of Neutrophils in Response to German Cockroach Frass

Page

Lierl

Hughes

et al. 2008

The Journal of Immunology

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“…However, the primary site of cockroach allergen accumulation is the kitchen (1,10,12,16,20,36) and kitchen cockroach allergen levels may be considerably higher than bedroom or living room levels. Table 1 shows that in only one sample, in our study, Bla g 1 exceeded the lower threshold of 2 U g -1 , associated with sensitisation of atopic patients and no sample exceeded the threshold of 8 U g -1 associated with asthma morbidity (7).…”

Section: Statisticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sensitisation and exposure data suggest that Bla g 2 induces strong IgE response at exposure levels that are often 10 to 100 times lower than levels of other common indoor allergens (9,13,42). However, group 1 allergens (Bla g 1 and Per a 1 produced by B. germanica and P. americana, respectively) share homology in their structure and signifi cant crossreactivity (7,8,11,12). Therefore, Bla g 1 ELISA may not be highly specifi c, and Bla g 2 ELISA may provide a better assessment of exposure to cockroach allergens.…”

Section: Statisticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cockroach infestation leads to accumulation of allergens in reservoir household dust (particles >10 μm in diameter) (7,12,13). Cockroach allergens have been located all over the insect, especially in the saliva, gut, faeces, cast skins, and all over their dead bodies (8,12).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cockroach allergens have been located all over the insect, especially in the saliva, gut, faeces, cast skins, and all over their dead bodies (8,12). Similar to mites, sensitisation to cockroach allergens is dose-dependent (14,15).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bla g 1 Allergen Levels in Zagreb Area Household Dust

Prester¹,

Macan²

2011

Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology

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Cockroach allergy is a health problem in many parts of the world. In urban environments, indoor exposure to cockroach allergens involves a risk of asthma. The aim of this study was to measure the mass fraction of Bla g 1, a major allergen of the German cockroach (Blatella germanica) in 30 house samples, collected at random from Zagreb area households, Croatia. Dust samples were collected on cellulose fi lters by vacuuming living rooms fl oors. After extraction, Bla g 1 was detected using the commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Only four of the thirty households had detectable Bla g 1 levels, and only in one was its concentration higher than 2.0 U g -1 , the threshold associated with sensitisation. The Bla g 1 ELISA proved highly sensitive, with the detection limit of 0.12 U g -1. The within-and between-assay imprecision was 8.9 % and 14.4 %, respectively, and accuracy 85 % to 120 %. Low Bla g 1 levels in the household dust support previously reported low prevalence of skin sensitisation to B. germanica among Zagreb residents. Further monitoring should reveal if there are differences in cockroach allergen exposure and sensitisation between households from other geographic areas in Croatia.

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The Halogen Assay - A New Technique for Measuring Airborne Allergen

Tovey

Lucca

Poulos

et al. 2008

Allergy Methods and Protocols

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The Halogen assay is a new technique for measuring airborne allergen. The assay is unique in that it is capable of analyzing allergens and particles together, combining the advantages of morphological approaches and immunoassay. The Halogen assay allows direct observation of the particles that carry the allergen as well as being capable of identifying all the allergen sources an individual is exposed and sensitized to. The assay is sensitive because the extracted allergen is bound to the membrane at a high local concentration within the minute area around each particle and so is easily detected by immunostaining. It is therefore easy to detect few pollen grains. The Halogen method supersedes other methods commonly used to identify allergens as it is capable of identifying airborne particles that are allergen sources.

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Measurement and characterization of cockroach allergens detected during normal domestic activity

Cited by 63 publications

References 24 publications

TLR2-Mediated Activation of Neutrophils in Response to German Cockroach Frass

TLR2-Mediated Activation of Neutrophils in Response to German Cockroach Frass

Bla g 1 Allergen Levels in Zagreb Area Household Dust

The Halogen Assay - A New Technique for Measuring Airborne Allergen

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