SPECIES-SPECIFIC MEASUREMENT OF THE 2ND GROUP OF DERMATOPHAGOIDES MITE ALLERGENS, DER-P-2 AND DER-F-2, USING A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY-BASED ELISA

Background The group 2 Dermatophagoides mite allergens, Der p 2 and De r f 2, were known to be highly crossreactive, and previous assays to m easure Der p 2 and Der f 2 were not species-specific. Objective The ai m of this study was to develop a monoclonal antibody-based ELISA (MoAb -ELISA) to species-specifically measure Der p 2 and Der f 2, Methods T he MoAb-ELISA for Der p 2 and Der f 2 was performed using species-spec ific MoAbs for Der p 2 and Der f 2 and a biotinylated second MoAb whic h recognized a common epitope on both Der p 2 and Der f 2. Results The assay was highly species-specific, reproducible and sensitive. Thirty -two house dust samples were assayed by the MoAb-ELISA for Der p 2 and Der f 2 and by a previously reported radioimmunoassay for Der 2 with rabbit anti-Der 2 antibodies. The summed values for Der p 2 and Der f 2 by the MoAb-ELISA demonstrated a good correlation with the Der 2 val ues using the radioimmunoassay (r = 0.978). Furthermore, the proportio n of the Der p 2 level in the total Der 2 level (Der p 2 divided by De r p 2 plus Der f 2) correlated well with that of the D. pteronyssinus mite number to the total Dermatophagoides mite number identified by sp ecies (r = 0.970). Conclusion The MoAb-ELISA for Der p 2 and Der f 2, as well as that for Der p 1 and Der f 1, will be useful for the standa rdization of mite extracts and for the assessments of mite allergen ex posure.