Specific immunoglobulin E antibodies to saprophytic yeasts in sera of atopic patients allergic to house dust mites

Background: atopic dermatitis (ad) is a complex disease caused by genetic and environmental interactions. ad impairs skin barrier function,enabling microorganisms to penetrate and interact with the immune system. objectives: this study aimed to investigate the presence of specific immunoglobulin (ig) e antibodies to the yeast species candida pelliculosa,candida guilliermondii,candida famata,and rhodotorula rubra in the sera of ad patients and to evaluate possible cross-reactivity between yeasts and allergens of dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (d1) and dermatophagoides farinae (d2). methods: we analyzed serum samples from 14 healthy individuals and 34 ad patients: 19 were positive to d1 and d2 (immulite) and 15 were negative. determinations were made using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa),competitive elisa,and the immulite inhibition assay. results: the results of elisa showed that all house dust mite-positive sera had specific ige antibodies to the yeast species tested: 42% of these sera reacted with all 4 yeast species. the inhibition study demonstrated partial cross-reactivity between ige class antibodies with the yeast species. this finding indicates that different candida species and r rubra have species-specific and cross-reactive antigens with partially overlapping epitopes,thus suggesting cross-reactivity with mite allergens. c pelliculosa protein extract inhibited ige binding to d1 (63.4%) and d2 (71%) allergens. the inhibition value for d1 showed a significant correlation with the inhibition value for d2 (r=0.669,p=.03; spearman rank correlation). conclusion: the results of the present study suggest that c pelliculosa and house dust mites share common antigens. © 2012 esmon publicidad.