Levels of the fungal allergen Asp f 1 in dust from two sawmills in Croatia: a pilot study

ABSTRACT A vaccine that effectively protects immunocompromised patients against invasive aspergillosis is a novel approach to a universally fatal disease. Here we present a rationale for selection and in vivo testing of potential protein vaccine candidates, based on the modification of an immunodominant fungal allergen for which we demonstrate immunoprotective properties. Pulmonary exposure to viable Aspergillus fumigatus conidia as well as vaccination with crude hyphal extracts protects corticosteroid-immunosuppressed mice against invasive aspergillosis (J. I. Ito and J. M. Lyons, J. Infect. Dis. 186:869-871, 2002). Sera from the latter animals contain antibodies with numerous and diverse antigen specificities, whereas sera from conidium-exposed mice contain antibodies predominantly against allergen Asp f 3 (and some against Asp f 1), as identified by mass spectrometry. Subcutaneous immunization with recombinant Asp f 3 (rAsp f 3) but not with Asp f 1 was protective. The lungs of Asp f 3-vaccinated survivors were free of hyphae and showed only a patchy low-density infiltrate of mononuclear cells. In contrast, the nonimmunized animals died with invasive hyphal elements and a compact peribronchial infiltrate of predominately polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Three truncated versions of rAsp f 3, spanning amino acid residues 15 to 168 [rAsp f 3(15-168)], 1 to 142, and 15 to 142 and lacking the known bipartite sequence required for IgE binding, were also shown to be protective. Remarkably, vaccination with either rAsp f 3(1-142) or rAsp f 3(15-168) drastically diminished the production of antigen-specific antibodies compared to vaccination with the full-length rAsp f 3(1-168) or the double-truncated rAsp f 3(15-142) version. Our findings point to a possible mechanism in which Asp f 3 vaccination induces a cellular immune response that upon infection results in the activation of lymphocytes that in turn enhances and/or restores the function of corticosteroid-suppressed macrophages to clear fungal elements in the lungs.

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Molecular allergen sensitization of Aspergillus fumigatus in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in Guangzhou, Southern China

10.21203/rs.3.rs-16458/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wenting Luo ◽

Haisheng Hu ◽

Zehong Wu ◽

Nili Wei ◽

Huimin Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽

Southern China ◽

Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Guangzhou City ◽

Allergen Components ◽

Sige Level ◽

Asthma Patients ◽

Asp F 1 ◽

Fungal Allergen

Abstract Background Few studies have assessed the sensitization of mycotic allergens and Aspergillus fumigatus molecular allergen. This study aimed to investigate the connection between A.fumigatus components and mycotic allergens between allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patients and A. fumigatus (Af)-sensitized asthma. Methods Serum Penicillium chrysogenum , Cladosporium herbarum , Mucor racemosus , Candida albicans , Alternaria alternata , Helminthosporium halodes and A.fumigatus allergen components (Asp f 1, Asp f 2, Asp f 3, Asp f 4, and Asp f 6) sIgE level were measured via ImmunoCAP assay in 18 ABPA patients and 54 Af-sensitized asthma patients in Guangzhou city. Results 94.44% of ABPA patients and 87.04% of Af-sensitized asthma patients were co-sensitization to at least one another fungal allergen. The positivity rates of C. albicans ( P < 0.05) and A.alternata ( P < 0.05) were higher in ABPA than that in Af-sensitized asthma patients. The positive rates of Asp f 1 (88.89% vs 59.26%, P < 0.05), Asp f 2 (66.67% vs 33.33%, P < 0.05), Asp f 4 (61.11% vs 33.33%, P < 0.05), and Asp f 6 (66.67% vs 14.81%, P < 0.001) in ABPA were higher than those in Af-sensitized asthma patients. Patients with ABPA had higher IgE levels of Asp f 1 ( P < 0.05), Asp f 4 ( P < 0.05) and Asp f 6 ( P < 0.001) than those of Af-sensitized asthma patients. A.fumigatus was strongly correlated with C.herbarum ( r s = 0.688) in ABPA and A.alternata ( r s = 0.692) in Af-sensitized asthma patients. Optimal scale analysis was show that ABPA was more relevant to Af-components. (Cronbach`s alpha = 90.7%) Conclusion The A.fumigatus components and it`s connection with various mycotic allergens were different in ABPA and Af-sensitized asthma patients. This findings can expected to help local doctors in the diagnosis and immunotherapy of fungal allergies.

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Polymorphism of Aspergillus Fumigatus Major Allergen Genes Associating with Their Isolated Sites Affects Their IgE Epitope Structures

10.21203/rs.3.rs-155581/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rumi Konuma ◽

Maiko Watanabe ◽

Daisuke Irikura ◽

Yoshiko Sugita-Konishi ◽

Akiko Yamazaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽

Amino Acid Substitution ◽

Computer Software ◽

Major Allergen ◽

Nucleotide Mutation ◽

Asp F 1 ◽

Fungal Allergen ◽

Structure Of Proteins ◽

Ige Epitope

Abstract The circumstances in which organisms live induce polymorphism in their genes, including fungal allergen genes, leading to altered structures and functions of proteins, related to their pathogenicity. Major allergen genes of Aspergillus fumigatus, Asp f 1, Asp f 2, and Asp f 3, were examined in 59 strains [environment and animal/human-body origin] to determine their nucleotide sequences, and then categorized. The location and number of IgE epitopes on the allergen molecules were predicted using a computer software. The Asp f 1 gene was classified into two groups (f1-1 and f1-2). One of the groups possessed one-nucleotide mutation point with one amino-acid substitution. The mutated Asp f 2 gene accompanying 6-amino acid substitution was classified into 7 groups (f2-1 to f2-7). Six of the groups possessed a newborn IgE epitope. The Asp f 3 gene contained two mutations, resulted in three groups (f3-1 to f3-3) without any amino-acid substitutions. Category E, consisting of groups f1-1, f2-5, and f3-2, was specific to an environmental origin. Our findings suggest that nucleotide mutation of the fungal allergen genes, associated with the origin of the fungus, modifies the structure of proteins, and affects their pathogenic properties, such as the localization of IgE epitopes.

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Pilot study on criteria in cavity preparation-facts or artifacts?

Journal of Dental Education ◽

10.1002/j.0022-0337.1973.37.11.tb00753.x ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 37 (11) ◽

pp. 27-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

G Salvendy ◽

WM Hinton ◽

GW Ferguson ◽

PR Cunningham

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Cavity Preparation

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Assessing manual dexterity: pilot study of a new instrument

Journal of Dental Education ◽

10.1002/j.0022-0337.1981.45.2.tb01432.x ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 71-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P Weinstein ◽

HA Kiyak

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Manual Dexterity ◽

New Instrument

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A Pilot Study of Early Storybook Reading With Babies With Hearing Loss

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2019_jslhr-l-17-0305 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (9) ◽

pp. 3397-3412

Author(s):

Michelle I. Brown ◽

David Trembath ◽

Marleen F. Westerveld ◽

Gail T. Gillon

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Visual Analysis ◽

Single Case ◽

Eye Contact ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Storybook Reading ◽

Book Selection ◽

Turn Taking ◽

Parent Child

Purpose This pilot study explored the effectiveness of an early storybook reading (ESR) intervention for parents with babies with hearing loss (HL) for improving (a) parents' book selection skills, (b) parent–child eye contact, and (c) parent–child turn-taking. Advancing research into ESR, this study examined whether the benefits from an ESR intervention reported for babies without HL were also observed in babies with HL. Method Four mother–baby dyads participated in a multiple baseline single-case experimental design across behaviors. Treatment effects for parents' book selection skills, parent–child eye contact, and parent–child turn-taking were examined using visual analysis and Tau-U analysis. Results Statistically significant increases, with large to very large effect sizes, were observed for all 4 participants for parent–child eye contact and parent–child turn-taking. Limited improvements with ceiling effects were observed for parents' book selection skills. Conclusion The findings provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of an ESR intervention for babies with HL for promoting parent–child interactions through eye contact and turn-taking.

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