HETEROGENEITY IN THE IGE BINDING TO A PEPTIDE DERIVED FROM THE HOUSE-DUST MITE ALLERGEN DER-P-II INDICATES THAT THE IGE RESPONSE IS HIGHLY POLYCLONAL

The fine specificity of IgE antibody binding to peptide 65-78 of the h ouse dust mite major allergen Der p II was examined by comparison with binding to two peptides in which the cysteines corresponding to cys73 and cys78 in Der p II were substituted by serines and methionines. Di fferences in binding behavior indicated that at least three different subpopulations of IgE antibodies bound to peptide 65-78. Even at the l evel of such a small fragment the IgE response in individual donors pr oved to be polyclonal.