S Gordon1, R D Tee, M C Stuart, A J Newman Taylor. 1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Road, London, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The fur is an important source of allergens in many mammal species, but this source has not been extensively studied in rats. Rat room dust contains high-molecular-weight allergens that have been found to cross-react with fur and its presumed salivary contaminants. The role of rat fur and saliva as a source of respiratory allergens merits further investigation. The objective was to describe the allergens present in the fur and saliva of male rats. METHODS: Allergen extracts were prepared from the saliva and fur of the pelts from adult male rats. Immunoblotting was used to describe the allergens present in rat fur and saliva with serum from 76 and 25 individuals, respectively. RESULTS: There was considerable variation between the individuals in the binding of IgE to the separated fur and saliva allergens. Immunoblot analysis identified 23 allergens in rat fur. "Major" allergens were found at the "origin", and at 55, 51, 19, and 17 kDa, and "intermediate" allergens at 74, 67 (probably albumin), and 21.5 (diffuse) kDa. Seventeen salivary allergens were described with "major" allergens at 21.5, 19.5, 19, 18, and 17.5 kDa. Many subjects had IgE to the 67 kDa (56%) and 43 kDa (64%) allergens but the density of staining was weak. CONCLUSION: Rat fur and saliva are the sources of many allergens. Fur contained five "major" allergens and was a complex source of allergens of relatively high molecular weight (>22 kDa). The most important salivary allergens have molecular weights of less than 22 kDa. Fur is the most probable source of the high-molecular-weight allergens found in rat room dust.
BACKGROUND: The fur is an important source of allergens in many mammal species, but this source has not been extensively studied in rats. Rat room dust contains high-molecular-weight allergens that have been found to cross-react with fur and its presumed salivary contaminants. The role of ratfur and saliva as a source of respiratory allergens merits further investigation. The objective was to describe the allergens present in the fur and saliva of male rats. METHODS: Allergen extracts were prepared from the saliva and fur of the pelts from adult male rats. Immunoblotting was used to describe the allergens present in ratfur and saliva with serum from 76 and 25 individuals, respectively. RESULTS: There was considerable variation between the individuals in the binding of IgE to the separated fur and saliva allergens. Immunoblot analysis identified 23 allergens in ratfur. "Major" allergens were found at the "origin", and at 55, 51, 19, and 17 kDa, and "intermediate" allergens at 74, 67 (probably albumin), and 21.5 (diffuse) kDa. Seventeen salivary allergens were described with "major" allergens at 21.5, 19.5, 19, 18, and 17.5 kDa. Many subjects had IgE to the 67 kDa (56%) and 43 kDa (64%) allergens but the density of staining was weak. CONCLUSION:Ratfur and saliva are the sources of many allergens. Fur contained five "major" allergens and was a complex source of allergens of relatively high molecular weight (>22 kDa). The most important salivary allergens have molecular weights of less than 22 kDa. Fur is the most probable source of the high-molecular-weight allergens found in rat room dust.
Authors: Wanda Phipatanakul; Elizabeth Matsui; Jay Portnoy; P Brock Williams; Charles Barnes; Kevin Kennedy; David Bernstein; Joann Blessing-Moore; Linda Cox; David Khan; David Lang; Richard Nicklas; John Oppenheimer; Christopher Randolph; Diane Schuller; Sheldon Spector; Stephen A Tilles; Dana Wallace; James Sublett; Jonathan Bernstein; Carl Grimes; J David Miller; James Seltzer Journal: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol Date: 2012-12 Impact factor: 6.347
Authors: N Polovic; K Wadén; J Binnmyr; C Hamsten; R Grönneberg; C Palmberg; N Milcic-Matic; T Bergman; H Grönlund; M van Hage Journal: Allergy Date: 2013-03-07 Impact factor: 13.146