Dust Mite Allergen

To develop a treatment for dust mite allergies, which are prevalent in China, we used the allergen gene Der f 8 and modified its recombinant form to reduce allergenicity while retaining immunogenicity. Medical cell cloning has many benefits for the future, as more research is being done to develop treatment. It is considered ethical and even helpful by the American Medical Association.

To begin, we cultured and isolated total RNA from Dermatopagoides farinae using an RNA isolator. We designed and synthesized DNA primers based on the full-length sequence of Der f 8. Der f 8 is a full-length group 8 allergen from D. farinae. After cloning Der f 8, it was inserted into an expression plasmid for the transformation of E. coli cells. Afterward, we purified the recombinant protein with nickel affinity chromatography from sonication products. We collected serum from patients with mite allergy and administered it to rDer f 8. Approximately 41% of patients’ cells showed positive IgE reactions, indicating that Der f 8 plays an important role in mite hypersensitivity. To develop treatment, we paired the allergen with ASIT (Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy) to induce long-term immunity to the allergen.

Cui YB, Zhou Y, Wang N, Teng FX, Yu LL, Bian YH, Song JX, Yang L, Zhang CB. Expression, cloning, and IgE-binding of the full-length dust mite allergen Der f 8. Immunol Res. 2014 Oct;60(1):60-8. doi: 10.1007/s12026-014-8553-9. PMID: 24838264.