Authors:
Hales BJ, Chai LY, Hazell L, Elliot CE, Stone S, O'Neil SE, Smith WA, Thomas WR
Authors notes:
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. 2013;1(6):656-665
Keywords:
Cat allergens, Cytokines, IgE, IgG1, IgG4
Abstract:
Cat allergy affects approximately 15% of the population and is a major risk factor for asthma.
The relative importance of cat allergens other than Fel d 1 is not known.
To compare IgE and IgG antibody binding and T-cell recognition of the major cat allergen Fel d 1 with other cat proteins with known IgE binding properties.
An allergen other than Fel d 1 had the highest IgE binding specificity for 35% of individuals with cat allergy, and it bound more than 50% of their IgE antibody in 70% of these sera.
Fel d 4, 7, and 8 were identified as the main contributors to the non-Fel d 1 IgE binding response and elicited inflammatory Th2 cytokines to a similar degree as Fel d 1.
As expected, the average percentage of IgE binding to Fel d 1 for individuals was 55%. IgG4 binding to Fel d 1 was detected in both subjects with allergy (30%) and subjects without allergy (19%).
IgG4 binding to the other allergens was less prevalent but was found for both groups.
IgG1 antibody was not detected to any of the newly described cat proteins.
Fel d 4, 7, and 8 are allergens that should be included in the diagnosis and investigation of cat allergy.