The relative allergenicity of Stachybotrys chartarum compared to house dust mite extracts in a mouse model.

A report by the Institute of Medicine suggested that more research is needed to better understand mold effects on allergic disease, particularly asthma development. The authors compared the ability of the fungus Stachybotrys chartarum (SCE) and house dust mite (HDM) extracts to induce allergic responses in BALB/c mice. The extracts were administered by intratracheal aspiration (IA) at several doses (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 microg) 4 times over a 4-week period. Three days after the last IA exposure, serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected. The relative allergenicity of the extracts was evaluated based on the lowest dose that induced a significant response compared to control (0 microg) and the linear regression slope analysis across the dose range. SCE induced a more robust response than HDM for BALF some inflammatory cells (macrophage and neutrophils), whereas HDM induced more robust BALF lymphocyte and eosinophil responses. Although SCE induced a more robust serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) response than did HDM, the induction of a similar response in a functional, antigen-specific IgE assay required approximately twice as much SCE as HDM. Even though SCE demonstrates the ability to induce allergic responses in the mouse model, considering the importance and relevance of eosinophil, lymphocyte, and antigen-specific IgE in allergic airway disease, it is concluded that HDM is more potent than SCE in the induction of allergic responses. These data suggest a threshold dose for SCE allergy induction. Furthermore, in damp water-damaged environments, exposure to S. chartarum might easily exceed the sensitization threshold for a susceptible population.