Yi F C, Chew F T, Jimenez S, Chua K Y, Lee B W
Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 1999 Sep;17(3):189-94.
Blomia tropicalis is an important triggering factor for allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis in tropical and subtropical regions, which climate favours the growth of this species. Our previous mite fauna study revealed that Blomia tropicalis is the most dominant species present in Singapore house dust The main objective of this study is to establish a mass culture of Blomia tropicalis for further characterization of the antigenic and molecular properties of this mite. Approximately one gram of mites could be obtained for every 300-gram of culture medium by culturing under natural condition with a mean annual temperature of 30 degrees C and a mean relative humidity of 80%, and harvested by modified Tullgren funnel. Allergen characterization by IgE immunoblot analysis with crude mite extracts showed some IgE reactivity differences between Blomia tropicalis mite extract from Singapore and Colombia. The possible reasons for these findings are the quality and source of the mite protein extracts used, or selective differences in the population under evaluation. Further, the atopic sera tested showed differences in the pattern and Intensity of IgE immunoblot reactivity to crude extracts of Blomia tropicalis and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, the other highly prevalent mite in Singapore. These data support the existence of species-specific allergens. In conclusion, we have been successful in setting up B. tropicalis mass cultures and have prepared extracts of high allergenicity.
热带血厉螨是热带和亚热带地区哮喘、鼻炎和特应性皮炎等过敏性疾病的重要触发因素，该地区的气候有利于这种螨虫的生长。我们之前的螨类区系研究表明，热带血厉螨是新加坡室内灰尘中最主要的物种。本研究的主要目的是建立热带血厉螨的大规模培养体系，以便进一步表征这种螨虫的抗原和分子特性。在年平均温度为30摄氏度、平均相对湿度为80%的自然条件下培养，每300克培养基大约可获得1克螨虫，并通过改良的柏氏漏斗进行收集。用粗螨提取物进行IgE免疫印迹分析来表征变应原，结果显示来自新加坡和哥伦比亚的热带血厉螨提取物之间存在一些IgE反应性差异。这些发现的可能原因是所用螨蛋白提取物的质量和来源，或者是所评估群体中的选择性差异。此外，所检测的特应性血清对热带血厉螨和新加坡另一种高度流行的螨虫——屋尘螨的粗提取物的IgE免疫印迹反应模式和强度存在差异。这些数据支持了物种特异性变应原的存在。总之，我们成功建立了热带血厉螨的大规模培养体系，并制备了高致敏性的提取物。
