Medical College of Wisconsin
CTSIResearch InformaticsREDCap

Alkaline serine proteinase from Aspergillus fumigatus has synergistic effects on Asp-f-2-induced immune response in mice. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2002 Oct;129(2):129-37

Date

10/31/2002

Pubmed ID

12403930

DOI

10.1159/000065882

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0036974399 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   51 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus allergens results in the sensitization and the development of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in susceptible individuals. Aspergillus antigen consists of a number of chemically diverse components and their cumulative or synergistic effect may result in disease. When mice were challenged with individual recombinant allergens, there was only reduced inflammation and immunological responses compared to the whole antigen. Various enzymes identified from A. fumigatus have been thought to cause airway damage. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of exposure to Asp f 13, an alkaline serine proteinase, and Asp f 2 in mice.

METHODS: BALB/c mice were challenged intranasally with Asp f 2 and Asp f 13 alone and in combination. The antibody response, pulmonary inflammation, and airway hyperreactivity were studied.

RESULTS: Results demonstrated no major difference in antibody response and airway responses among the different groups. The inflammatory responses in the lungs, however, showed marked differences in the various groups.

CONCLUSION: In spite of the similar immunological responses in the different groups of mice studied, the results demonstrate enhanced inflammation in the lungs of mice exposed to a combination of both allergens. Allergens with proteinase activity have been found to be involved in airway inflammation and remodeling, which may also apply for Aspergillus-induced allergy.

Author List

Kurup VP, Xia JQ, Shen HD, Rickaby DA, Henderson JD Jr, Fink JN, Chou H, Kelly KJ, Dawson CA



MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Antibodies, Fungal
Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary
Aspergillus fumigatus
Bronchoconstrictor Agents
Cell Division
Drug Synergism
Female
Fungal Proteins
Histocytochemistry
Immunoglobulin E
Lung
Lymph Nodes
Methacholine Chloride
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Respiratory Function Tests
Serine Endopeptidases