Molecular and immunological characterization of Asp f 34, a novel major cell wall allergen of Aspergillus fumigatus
- 8 July 2009
- Vol. 64 (8), 1144-1151
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.02029.x
Abstract
Although fungal spores have been recognized as triggers of respiratory allergy and asthma, only two allergenic fungal cell wall components have so far been described. Eighty-one sequences derived from an Aspergillus fumigatus cDNA library encoding putative allergens were examined for the presence of cell wall components. A new allergen (Asp f 34) was evaluated by Western blots, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation assays, and skin prick test (SPT). The cDNA encoding Asp f 34 contained an open reading frame predicting a protein of 185 amino acids with a molecular weight of 19.38 kDa, showing sequence homology to phiA, an essential protein for the formation of conidia in the genus Aspergillus. The recombinant Asp f 34 was binding IgE from sensitized individuals in Western blots. An ELISA survey showed that 94% of the ABPA and 46% of the A. fumigatus-sensitized individuals tested had Asp f 34-specific serum IgE. Asp f 34 induced allergen-specific proliferation exclusively of PBMCs from patients sensitized to the allergen. Eight patients with anti-Asp f 34 serum IgE tested reacted positively in SPT, whereas four A. fumigatus-sensitized individuals without Asp f 34-specific IgE and eight healthy controls scored negatively. A cell wall protein of the phialides of A. fumigatus was identified as a major allergen. Asp f 34 belongs to the Aspergillus-specific proteins of the phiA family and has relevant potential for a specific diagnosis of Aspergillus sensitization.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Spectrum of Fungal AllergyInternational Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 2007
- The medical effects of mold exposureJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2006
- Airborne fungal fragments and allergenicityMedical Mycology, 2006
- Fungal Allergies: A Yet Unsolved ProblemPublished by S. Karger AG ,2006
- Sensitization to fungi: epidemiology, comparative skin tests, and IgE reactivity of fungal extractsClinical and Experimental Allergy, 2003
- Phylogeny and Systematics of the Fungi with Special Reference to the Ascomycota and BasidiomycotaPublished by S. Karger AG ,2002
- Recombinant Allergens for Skin TestingInternational Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 2001
- Quantitation of the major fungal allergens, Alt a 1 and Asp f 1, in commercial allergenic productsJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2001
- The recombinant allergen‐based concept of component‐resolved diagnostics and immunotherapy (CRD and CRIT)Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 1999
- Fungal allergensClinical Microbiology Reviews, 1995