Purified recombinant A-fumigatus allergens induce different responses in mice

Aspergillus fumigatus an opportunistic fungus is associated with a number o f diseases in humans. Allergy resulting from exposure to the A. fumigatus a llergens has been recognized frequently. The damage caused by the disease i s very striking in patients with atopy and those with cystic fibrosis. Avoi dance to exposure is not feasible because A. fumigatus spores are ubiquitou sly distributed in the environment. Hence, immunotherapeutic regimens in se vere forms of A. fumigatus allergy may have a high potential. However, befo re such forms of therapy can be envisaged, it is essential to understand th e immunopathogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the role of pur ified A. fumigatus allergens in the development of allergic asthma in mice. We have used four major recombinant A. fumigatus allergens in the murine m odel. Mice exposed to Asp f 1, f 3, and f 4 showed inflammatory changes in the lungs and airway hyperreactivity. The immune responses, including eleva ted serum IgE, enhanced eosinophils, recruitment in the peripheral blood an d lungs, and expression of regulatory cytokines, are characteristic of a Th 2 response. Asp f 6 demonstrated only a reduced response in these animals. The results suggest that the pathology induced by crude A. fumigatus extrac t results from the cumulative effects of the allergens and the individual r esponses varied considerably with different purified antigens. (C) 2001 Aca demic Press.