Measurement of IgG subclass antibodies to the group II antigen of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p II) in sera from children with bronchial asthma.

Seven IgG-binding components in crude mite allergen extracted from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) were identified by immunoblotting analysis. Of these components, the 15-kDa protein was strongly recognized by IgG from patients with bronchial asthma, whereas it was less recognized by IgG from healthy individuals. Then, the 15-kDa protein was purified by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and the protein was demonstrated to induce immediate positive skin reactions in patients with bronchial asthma. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 15-kDa protein was also determined and was in agreement with that of Der p II. In an attempt to understand the role of IgG subclass antibody of patients with bronchial asthma, we quantitated the antibodies of IgG subclass to Der p II. The levels of antibodies of total IgG and of all IgG subclasses in patients with bronchial asthma who had never received immunotherapy were higher than those of nonatopic healthy individuals. The levels of Der p II-specific IgG1 and IgG4 in asthmatic patients were 1.97 times and 2.20 times higher, respectively, than those in the control group. The present study demonstrates that patients with bronchial asthma are able to produce antibodies of all IgG subclasses specific to Der p II in response to natural exposure to mite antigen.