Measurement of IgG, IgA and IgE antibodies to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus by antigen-binding assay, using a partially purified fraction of mite extract (F4P1).

An extract of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus culture has been fractionated by chromatography on Sephadex G-100 and Pevikon block electrophoresis to obtain a partially purified allergen (F4P1). This preparation has a molecular weight of between 15--25,000 Dalton, migrates slowly on electrophoresis, and is colourless in solution. The skin-test reactivity of F1P1 was comparable to that of crude D. pteronyssinus extract. F4P1 was radio-labelled with 125I and used in an antigen-binding radioimmunoassay to measure IgG, IgA and IgE antibody (ab) to D. pteronyssinus. IgG, ab was detected in serum from 32/34 (94%) mite-allergic persons, and from 10/31 (30%) nonallergic persons. IgA ab and IgE ab were found in sera from 22/34 (65%) and 37/34 (79%) allergic persons respectively. Neither IgA nor IgE ab could be detected in sera from non-allergic persons. An excellent correlation was found between radioallergo-sorbent technique (RAST), using crude D. pteronyssinus extract and IgE-binding activity (BA) for F4P1, (r=0.94, P less than 0.001). The antigen-binding assay for IgE BA was as sensitive as RAST, but less sensitive than PK testing. There was a very good quantitative correlation between IgG BA and IgE BA (r = 0.84, P less than 0.001). IgG BA was shown to rise in the serum of three patients treated with injections of D. pteronyssinus extract.