Immunodominant peptide epitopes of allergen, Asp f 1 from the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillus fumigatus ribotoxin Asp f 1 is a major allergen with IgE bindin g activity to serum of a majority of patients with allergic bronchopulmonar y aspergillosis (ABPA). The IgE binding epitopes or the T-cell stimulatory peptides of this molecule have not been studied. In the present investigati on, we have synthesized linear decapeptides spanning the whole molecule of Asp f 1 and analyzed their IgE binding properties. We have also synthesized peptides based on their possible T-cell stimulatory properties and studied the stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from ABPA patients a nd normal controls. Several peptides demonstrated distinct IgE antibody bin ding response against sera from ABPA patients and proliferative response ag ainst peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the patients. From the result s, it can be concluded that the carboxy-terminal region of Asp f 1 represen ting amino acid residues 115-149 involved in both humoral and cell mediated immunoresponses in ABPA. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.