Affinity purification of a major and a minor allergen from dog extract: serologic activity of affinity-purified Can f I and of Can f I-depleted extract.

Most dog-allergic patients react to a major 25 kd component on sodium dodecyl sulfate blots, Can f I (Ag 13). We initially raised monoclonal antibodies (Cf-3 and Cf-2) reactive with IgE-binding components distinct from Can f I. After a slight modification, we immunized other strains of mice and produced monoclonal antibodies coded Cf-1a and Cf-1b reactive with Can f 1. We affinity purified the allergens, Can f I and "dog allergen 2" with Cf-1a and Cf-2 ascites, respectively, and house dust-rich dog dander. Comparison of purified Can f I with dog saliva in RAST demonstrated that Can f I is a potent allergen for most dog-allergic patients (average response, 70%). After depletion of dog saliva of Can f I, a slightly lower contribution for Can f I was found, but the overall results supported the conclusion that Can f I is a major allergen in dog saliva. Comparison of purified dog allergen 2 with dog dander in RAST demonstrated that dog allergen 2 is less important for dog-allergic patients (average response, 23%). We radiolabeled the purified allergens and developed assays to measure Can f I and dog allergen 2 in allergen extracts and dust samples. Dog saliva was a strong allergen source, dog urine and feces contained very little of the allergens, and both allergens were found to a variable degree in the nine dog breeds tested.