ISSN:
1365-2222
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background We report the results of a study comparing the recombinant Aspergiilus fumigatus allergen I (rAsp f I) to commercial A. jumigatus extracts in serological assays, Pharmacia CAP System and skin tests.Objective The study was designed to test the feasibility of using recombinant allergens in an automated serology system for determination of allergen-specific IgE.Methods Patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), asthmatics with A. fumigatus allergy and control subjects, who included allergic asthmatics without allergy to A. fumigatus and healthy subjects, were investigated. All subjects were characterized with respect to their total IgE level, radio allergosorbent test to A. fumigatus and skin test reactivity to both commercial A. fumigatus extracts and recombinant rAsp f I protein.Results All patients with ABPA (n = 30) showed positive skin test reactions with commercial A. fumigatus extracts, and 24 were sensitized to r Asp f I by the same criterion. The 10 patients with asthma and A. fumigatus allergy showed positive skin reactions to at least one commercial extract, and five reacted to r Asp f I. AU control subjects (H= 19) scored negatively in skin tests to A. fumigatus extracts and r Asp f I, and showed no detectable rAsp f I-specific IgE. ImmunoCAP carrying immobilized r Asp f I were evaluated using sera from all individuals described and the results compared with those obtained with the r Asp f I-specific ELISA for IgE. The data obtained with the two r Asp f I-specific detection systems correlated closely (r= 0.997) and were in perfect agreement with the skin test results.Conclusion The data show that r Asp f I can be used as immobilized allergen in the Pharmacia CAP System indicating the feasibility of using recombinant allergens for an automated serological diagnosis of allergic diseases. However, every recombinant allergen needs to be evaluated individually for its performance if applied to a new diagnostic technology.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.1996.tb00543.x
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