Characterization of Relevant Bovine Dander Allergen Components

• Published in: Journal of investigational allergology & clinical immunology Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 20 - 29
• Main Authors: Airaksinen, L, Suojalehto, H, Lindström, I, Sund, J, Pallasaho, P, Puustinen, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Spain Esmon Publicidad 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Allergens; Allergic diseases; Allergies; Asthma; Bos d 2 antigen; Bovine serum albumin; Cattle; Dander; Diagnostic tests; Immunoglobulin E; Lipocalin; Mass spectroscopy; Occupational diseases; Odorant-binding protein; Provocation tests; Rhinitis; Skin diseases; Skin tests; Urticaria; Allergy; Occupational disease; Rhinitis; Cattle farmer; Skin prick test; Cow; Sensitization; Cattle farming; Asthma
• ISSN: 1018-9068; 1698-0808
• DOI: 10.18176/jiaci.0863

Diagnostic tests in occupational allergic diseases are highly dependent on the quality of available allergen extracts and specific IgE tests. To enhance diagnostic testing in cattle-related occupational rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria, we produced an in- house cow dander extract, assessed its allergen profile and performance in clinical tests, and compared it with commercial bovine dander extracts. One hundred patients with a suspected cattle-related occupational disease underwent skin prick tests (SPTs) with in-house and 1 or 2 commercial bovine dander extracts. Nasal allergen provocation tests were performed on 31 patients with suspected occupational rhinitis. We used Western blot to study the specific IgE-protein reactions from the sera of the patients with positive provocation test results and identified allergens from immunoblot bands using tandem mass spectrometry. The odorant-binding protein Bos d OBP, bovine serum albumin (Bos d 6), and the lipocalin (Bos d 2) were identified as the major allergens. We found a total of 24 bovine dander allergens, of which several were formerly unknown. The sensitivity and specificity of the in-house extract in SPTs were 100% and 94%, respectively, in 87 patients. The SPT results were negative in 20 healthy controls. Nasal allergen provocation tests with in-house extract detected occupational rhinitis with 100% sensitivity in 21 patients. The provocation results remained negative in 5 healthy controls. Three major and several minor allergens in bovine dander caused occupational rhinitis. Diagnosis of bovine allergen-related occupational diseases requires a sufficient concentration and variety of tested allergens.