ENZYMATIC METHODS FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE ALLERGENIC POTENCY OF HOUSE-DUST EXTRACTS

House dust extracts are known to contain powerful proteolytic enzymes. The significance of these proteases is supported by the recently repo rted association of major dust mite allergens with serine and/or cyste ine proteases. The proteolytic activity of house dust extracts, theref ore, represents an allergologically relevant parameter for mite-derive d allergens. However, several other major allergens in extracts of ani mal and insect excreta (e.g., from cockroaches) have been shown to pos sess protein hydrolase properties. Furthermore acid phosphatase activi ties are known to correlate well with allergenic potency in several po llen extracts. The present study reports on the quantitative estimatio n of these two enzymes in relation to human antimite IgE-binding poten cy in 20 different dust samples from Spanish houses.