Indoor Allergens and Allergic Respiratory Disease

Abstract

Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to evaluate the most recent findings on indoor allergens and their impact on allergic diseases. Recent findings Indoor allergens are present inside buildings (home, work environment, school), and given the chronic nature of the exposures, indoor allergies tend to be associated with the development of asthma. The most common indoor allergens are derived from dust mites, cockroaches, mammals (including wild rodents and pets), and fungi. The advent of molecular biology and proteomics has led to the identification, cloning, and expression of new indoor allergens, which have facilitated research to elucidate their role in allergic diseases. This review is an update on new allergens and their molecular features, together with the most recent reports on their avoidance for allergy prevention and their use for diagnosis and treatment. Summary Research progress on indoor allergens will result in the development of new diagnostic tools and design of coherent strategies for immunotherapy.

Bedroom Allergen Exposure Beyond House Dust Mites

“…Fel d 1 is a member of the secretoglobin family of proteins, and the major Fel d 1 IgE epitopes have been mapped [26–29]. In contrast, Can f 1 is a member of the lipocalin family of proteins [27–29].…”

“…Fel d 1 is a member of the secretoglobin family of proteins, and the major Fel d 1 IgE epitopes have been mapped [26–29]. In contrast, Can f 1 is a member of the lipocalin family of proteins [27–29]. More than 90% of cat-allergic individuals react to Fel d 1, whereas reactivity to Can f 1 has been found to be lower and more variable among dog-sensitive patients [24, 26, 27, 29].…”

“…In contrast, Can f 1 is a member of the lipocalin family of proteins [27–29]. More than 90% of cat-allergic individuals react to Fel d 1, whereas reactivity to Can f 1 has been found to be lower and more variable among dog-sensitive patients [24, 26, 27, 29]. Besides these two allergens, other clinically relevant allergens have been identified.…”

“…Besides these two allergens, other clinically relevant allergens have been identified. Recent advances in molecular allergology of cat and dog allergens has been reviewed in several articles [24, 27–29]. …”

“…Biochemically, both Mus m 1 and Rat n 1 are classified as lipocalins, and adhere to small and large particles that remain airborne, readily enabling transport of the allergen and migration throughout buildings [6, 29]. In particular, it has been shown that rat allergens can remain airborne for 60 minutes or longer after disturbance of the environment [81].…”