Cross‑reactivity between group-5 and -21 mite allergens from Dermatophagoides farinae, Tyrophagus putrescentiae and Blomia tropicalis.

Group-5 and group-21 allergens, produced by house dust mites and storage mites are 36.6-55.8% identical in their sequences and are recognized by at least 50% of immunoglobulin (Ig)E from the sera of individuals allergic to dust mites.

House dust mite allergen Der f 1 induces IL-8 in human basophilic cells via ROS-ERK and p38 signal pathways.

Der f 1, a major house dust mite allergen and member of the papain-like cysteine protease family, can provoke immune responses with its proteolytic activity. To understand the role of Der f 1 in inflammatory immune responses, we studied the mechanism of the regulation of interleukin (IL)-8 expressions in human basophilic cell KU812 by proteolytically active recombinant Der f 1. Not only production of IL-8 mRNA was induced but also the DNA binding activity of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 were increased in Der f 1-treated KU812.

Identification of novel allergenic components from German cockroach fecal extract by a proteomic approach.

Background: Cockroaches produce potent allergens, and cockroach feces are known to be especially rich in allergens. In this study, we analyze the allergenic components from cockroach feces and evaluate allergenicity of recombinant α-amylase identified from fecal extract.

Methods: IgE-reactive proteins from German cockroach fecal extract were analyzed by proteomic analysis and immunoblotting.

IgE binding epitopes of Bla g 6 from German cockroach.

Bla g 6, a German cockroach allergen, shows homology to muscle protein troponin C. It contains four calcium-binding domains at amino acid (aa) residues 20-30, 56-67, 96-107, and 132-143, and its immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity is dependent upon calcium ion level. However, the IgE binding epitopes of Bla g 6 have not been investigated.

IgE-binding epitope analysis of Bla g 5, the German cockroach allergen.

Cockroach infestations have been linked with allergic diseases such as asthma in humans. Bla g 5, sigma class glutathione S-transferase (GST), is the major cockroach allergen which has the highest IgE response value of all cockroach allergens. Although several cockroach allergens have been identified and cloned, information regarding their B ell and T cell IgE-binding epitopes is limited.

IgE-binding reactivity of peptide fragments of Bla g 1.02, a major German cockroach allergen.

Cockroaches cause allergic diseases and are closely linked with the development of asthma. Bla g 1 is one of the major allergen proteins produced by German cockroaches. It consists of tandem repeats of approximately 100 amino acids.

Allergenicity of recombinant troponin C from Tyrophagus putrescentiae.

Background: The storage mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, produces potent allergens, many of which have not been characterized. This study was undertaken to characterize the allergenicity of troponin C from T. putrescentiae.

UV band Splitting of chromogenic azo-coupled calix[4]crown upon cation complexation.

Calixcrown-6 compounds carrying a pair of phenylazo moieties on the upper rim and two OH groups, one OH group, and two OR groups on the lower rim have been prepared in both the cone and partial cone conformations. UV/vis spectral measurements showed a red shift upon the addition of Ca2+ to the calixcrown carrying two OH groups and a blue shift for the calixcrown carrying two OR groups. For the compounds with two OR groups on the lower rim and a fixed partial cone conformation, a blue shift caused by electrostatic interaction between the oxygen atoms of OR and the metal ion as well as a red shift caused by the pi-metal complexation between the rotated calix benzene and the metal ion were observed.