GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE A MAJOR ALLERGEN OF THE HOUSE-DUST MITE, DERMATOPHAGOIDES-PTERONYSSINUS

Recently, we cloned a new Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen homo logous with glutathione S-transferase. IgE radioimmunoassays against t he Escherichia coli lysate of the recombinant clone reveal that 40% of mite allergic subjects recognize the mite glutathione S-transferase a llergen, Of these sera, greater that 50% have reactivity with the reco mbinant mite glutathione S-transferase that is greater than 10 times t he result observed with a normal control. Immunoblotting studies with sera from patients that recognize the recombinant protein reveal IgE b inding to a 26-kDa protein on immunoblots of reduced mite protein extr acts. The 26-kDa IgE-binding band observed on immunoblots of reduced m ite proteins, corresponding to the cloned protein, is a separate and u nique allergen from the 25-kDa Der p I as the apparent electrophoretic molecular mass of Der p I shifts from 25 to 30 kDa under conditions o f reduction.