Ascaris

Asia Pacific

pISSN 2233-8276 · eISSN 2233-8268

allergy

Original Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5415/apallergy.2012.2.1.35
Asia Pac Allergy 2012;2:35-44

IgE cross-reactivity between house dust mite
allergens and Ascaris lumbricoides antigens
Gardette R. Valmonte1,2,*, Gil A. Cauyan1,3, and John Donnie A. Ramos1,2,3
1

Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, 2TheGraduate School, and 3Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences,
University of Santo Tomas, Manila 1015, Philippines

Background: Common antigens between intestinal parasites and environmental allergens may play a role in the modulation of
allergic immune responses. There is a growing interest in investigating cross-reactivity between common helminths and dust mites
affectinghumans, particularly in the tropics.
Objective: This study examined the cross-reactivity between the human roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides (Al) and three house dust
mite (HDM) species.
Methods: Specific serum IgE levels to HDM species Blomia tropicalis (Bt), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp), and Dermatophagoides
farinae ( Df ); and Al extracts among allergic (n=100) and ascariasis (n=60) subjectswere measured through enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgE-reactive components of HDM and Al extracts were detected through Western-Blot Analysis. Crossreactivity between HDMs and Al was determined by ELISA inhibition using HDM and Al-specific sera from allergic (n=15) and ascariasis
(n=15) subjects. The IgE-binding capacity of a recombinant paramyosin peptide (Blo t 11-fD) toallergic (n=50) and ascariasis (n=50)
subjects’ sera were likewise determined.
Results: Among allergic subjects, 70% exhibited Al-specific positive IgE-reactivity, while 20-28% of ascariasis subjects demonstrated
HDM-specific positive IgE-reactivity. Multiple IgE-reactive components of HDM allergens (14-240 kDa) and Al antigens (15-250 kDa)
were detected, indicating multi-allergen sensitizationamong the subjects tested. Al antigens can inhibit up to 92% of HDM-specific
IgE-reactivity among allergic subjects, while up to 54% of Al-specific IgE-reactivity among ascariasis subjects was inhibited by HDM
allergens. Positive rBlo t 11-fD-specific IgE reactivity was observed in 80% of the allergic subjects and 46% of the ascariasis subjects.
Conclusions: This study showed the presence ofmultiple cross-reactive antigens in HDM and Al extracts. Identification of these
molecules may provide basis for designing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The potential role of paramyosin as a specific
cross-reactive allergen present in HDMs and Al has been shown.
Key words: Atopy; Immunity; Infection; Paramyosin; Parasitism

Correspondence: Gardette R. Valmonte
Department ofBiological Sciences, College of Science,
University of Santo Tomas, España Boulevard, Sampaloc,
Manila 1015, Philippines
Tel: +63-2-7315728 or 4061611 local 8224
Fax: +63-2-7409730
E-mail: gvalmonte@mnl.ust.edu.ph

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution. Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) whichpermits unrestricted non-commercial use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is
properly cited.

Received: September 6, 2011
Accepted: October 27, 2011
Copyright © 2012. Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology.

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allergy

IntRoduCtIon
Allergic diseases and helminth infections are twodiscrete
medical conditions, but research findings for the past few
decades indicate an association between them. The nature of
the relationship and the mechanisms that lie behind it are still
unclear and controversial. Both are immunological maladies
characterized by high IgE-levels, eosinophilia, increase in mast
cells, mucus hyperresponsiveness, and T-cells that preferentially
secrete...