IgE-sensitization and cross-reactivity of Der f 23 and Der p 23 in Korean patients with allergy.

Background: House dust mites (HDM) are a major source of allergens, and more than 30 HDM allergens have been identified to date. Recently, Der p 23 was reported to be a major allergen that is related to the severity of allergic responses.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize IgE-sensitization and cross-reactivity between Der f 23 and Der p 23 in Korean patients with allergy.

Methods: We produced recombinant Der f 23 and Der p 23 using a yeast Pichia expression system. The IgE binding activity of Der f 23 and Der p 23 was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using sera from 194 Korean HDM-sensitized patients. The cross-reactivity between Der f 23 and Der p 23 was then assayed using competitive ELISA.

Results: Among the 194 HDM-allergic patients, IgE reactivity to rDer f 23 and rDer p 23 was observed in 45.36% (88/194) and 43.81% (85/194) of the samples, respectively. Competitive ELISA with pooled serum from 10 patients revealed that rDer p 23 inhibited 86.1% of the rDer f 23 IgE reactivity and rDer f 23 inhibited 61.1% of the rDer p 23 IgE reactivity.

Conclusions: Group 23 HDM allergens, Der f 23 and Der p 23, show moderate sensitization, with 45.36% and 43.81% of Korean patients with allergy reacting to them, respectively. Significant IgE cross-reactivity was observed between the two allergens. These findings can facilitate the development of component-resolved diagnosis and allergen-specific immunotherapy in the future.