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BACKGROUND: Allergen-carrying virus-like particles are effective and safe means of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in rodent models. OBJECTIVE: To study the development of allergen-blocking immunoglobulin (Ig)G in dogs injected with Der f 2-carrying enveloped plant-based bioparticles (eBPs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Laboratory beagle dogs were injected intradermally (ID) or subcutaneously (SC) with Der f 2-eBP three times at 2-week intervals. A basophil mediator release assay was used to compare the reactivity of Der f 2-eBPs to that of recombinant Der f 2. Allergen-specific IgG serum levels were determined by immunoblotting and ELISA. The allergen-blocking potential of postvaccination IgG was assessed by Pet Allergy Xplorer (PAX) macroarray and basophil mediator release inhibition assays. RESULTS: The amount of Der f 2 eBPs needed to induce basophil activation was 1000-fold higher than that of the soluble natural allergen. In both immunisation groups, eBP injections caused no adverse events and induced Der f 2-specific IgG, first detected on Day (D)14 and peaking on D41. The co-incubation of sera with a Der f 2-IgE-rich canine serum pool resulted in a mean PAX inhibition of 70% (ID) to 80% (SC) on D41. For both groups, the inhibition of basophil mediator release reached 75% on D28 and D41. The percentage inhibition of PAX and mediator release correlated significantly with Der f 2 IgG levels. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Intradermal and subcutaneous injections of Der f 2-eBPs were safe and increased Der f 2-specific IgG. The clinical benefit of immunotherapy will be evaluated in future trials enrolling atopic dogs allergic to house dust mites.

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BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin (Ig)E cross-reactivity has been shown between Dermatophagoides farinae (Df; house dust mite) and the nematode Toxocara canis (Tc), yet its allergen basis is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To identify the Df allergens IgE-cross-reactive with those of Tc. ANIMALS: Archived sera from 73 dogs with suspected allergy sensitised to Df. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a combination of Pet Allergy Xplorer (PAX) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) inhibitions with excretory-secretory and somatic (i.e. nematode body) extracts of Tc or recombinant Tc tropomyosin on coats of Df, Der f 15 and Zen-1 (ELISA) or PAX allergens. RESULTS: The ELISA and PAX inhibitions established that there is mutual yet variable cross-reactivity between the Tc excretory-secretory extract, purified Der f 15 and purified Zen-1. This cross-reactivity is likely to involve cross-reactive glycans, as there is no inhibition between the Tc excretory-secretory extract and recombinant Der f 15 without its predicted natural O-glycans. We also confirmed a heterogeneous cross-reactivity between the somatic Tc extract and Der p 11 (paramyosin), as well as between the recombinant Toxo c 3 and Der p 10 tropomyosins. The cross-reactivity among tropomyosins and paramyosins is likely to involve peptidic epitopes, as these recombinant allergens are not glycosylated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In dogs with suspected allergies, the cross-reactivity between Tc and Df for dogs is complex and heterogeneous. Some of the cross-reactive IgE recognises shared glycans on Der f 15 and Zen-1, while some targets peptidic epitopes on shared paramyosins and tropomyosins. We do not exclude that additional cross-reactive allergens between Df and Tc also might exist.

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We have recently reported that grass pollen allergoids conjugated with nonoxidized mannan of Saccharomyces cerevisae using glutaraldehyde results in a novel hypoallergenic mannan-allergen complex with improved properties for allergen vaccination. Using this approach, human dendritic cells show a better allergen uptake and cytokine profile production (higher IL-10/IL-4 ratio) for therapeutic purposes. Here we aim to address whether a similar approach can be extended to dogs using canine dendritic cells. Six healthy Spanish Greyhound dogs were used as blood donors to obtain canine dendritic cells (DC) derived from peripheral blood monocytes. Allergens from Dermatophagoides farinae mite were polymerized and conjugated with nonoxidized mannan. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), immunoblotting and IgE-ELISA inhibition studies were conducted to evaluate the main characteristics of the allergoid obtained. Mannan-allergen conjugate and controls were assayed in vitro for canine DC uptake and production of IL-4 and IL-10. The results indicate that the conjugation of D. farinae allergens with nonoxidized mannan was feasible using glutaraldehyde. The resulting product was a polymerized structure showing a high molecular weight as detected by NMR and SDS-PAGE analysis. The mannan-allergen conjugate was hypoallergenic with a reduced reactivity with specific dog IgE. An increase in both allergen uptake and IL-10/IL-4 ratio was obtained when canine DCs were incubated with the mannan-allergen conjugate, as compared with the control allergen preparations (unmodified D. farinae allergens and oxidized mannan-allergen conjugate). We conclude that hypoallergenic D. farinae allergens coupled to nonoxidized mannan is a novel allergen preparation suitable for canine allergy immunotherapy targeting dendritic cells.

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OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology characterized by cartilage and bone destruction. The main genetic determinant to RA, the shared epitope, maps to the HLA-DR locus, although this is not the only risk factor. The osteopontin (OPN) gene, with pleiotropic functions in inflammatory and immune responses, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of RA. We studied the association of polymorphisms in the OPN gene and predisposition to RA. METHODS: Analysis was performed in a case-control study with 263 patients and 478 controls. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), 327T/C, 795C/T, 1128A/G, and 1284A/C, of the OPN gene were genotyped by primer-specific amplification in the presence of SYBR Green. RESULTS: Distorted transmission of these polymorphisms was studied in 58 RA trios and 61 affected sibling pairs. These SNP demonstrated strong linkage disequilibrium. No statistically significant association was observed (80% power to exclude a genotypic relative risk of 1.49 at the 5% significance level, with minor allele frequencies of 28%). This lack of association with RA was found after stratification for the shared epitope as well. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that, unlike the reported effect of the OPN SNP conferring predisposition to common diseases such as multiple sclerosis or systemic lupus erythematosus, these OPN gene polymorphisms do not contribute to RA susceptibility in the Spanish population we studied.

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