Abstract
Non-biting midges fchironomidae, Dipteral are one of the largest insect families, which are distributed worldwidely and are found in nearly all types of inland waters. They are known to be aggressive inhalant allergens which cause allergenic diseases. In this study, the crude antigens of Chironomus SavipLumn adults which are most widely distributed in Korea were extracted. and their allergens were analysed with the sera from experimentally sensitized mice. The mice were immunized with $1{\;}\mu\textrm{g}{\;}or{\;}10{\;}\mu\textrm{g}$ of the crude antigens, respectively, and the specific serum IgE levels were measured by both ELISA and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) techniques. The highest levels of both total IgE and chironomid-specific IgE were found in the mouse sera obtained after 9 weeks of the first infection with $1{\;}\mu\textrm{g}$ crude antigen. The crude antigen was separated into 16-18 protein bands on gel by SDS-PAGE. The crude extract was assessed by SDS-PAGE/immunoblot analysis. One IgE-binding band (65 kDa) was detected by developing with colorimetric substrate, and 4 IgE-binding bands (65, 52, 35 and 25 kDa) by developing with CSPD chemiluminescent substrate. The SDS-PAGE gel of the crude extract of chironomid adults was equally cut into 30 pieces and each of them was eluted to isolate proteins by molecular weight, and the allergenicity of each eluate was assessed by applying P-K test on rats. Proteins of 65, 35 and 15 KDa showed the highest P-K titer (${\times}512$) which was 16 times higher than that of the crude extract (${\times32}$). The P-K titer of 52 kDa protein was also 4 times higher ($128{\times}$) than that of the crude extract, whereas the 25 kDa protein poorly responded, which seemed not antigenic. In conclusion, the present result in mice demonstrated that adults of Chironomus fcuiplumus, a predominent species in Korea, cause allergenic diseases and the main allergens are 65, 52, 35 and 15 kDa proteins, of which 65 kDa protein seems to be a main allergen.
국내 우점종인 노랑털깔따구(Chironomus flaviplumus) 성충의 조항원을 제조하여 IgE 항체에 관여하는 주 항원 단백질을 찾아내고자 본 연구를 수행하였다 노랑털깔따구 성충의 조항원을 마우스에 $1{\;}\mu\textrm{g}$과 $10{\;}\mu\textrm{g}$으로 각각 3회씩 면역시킨 결과 ELISA와 PCA 반응시험에서 모두 $1{\;}\mu\textrm{g}$ 면 역군 중 9주째 얻은 혈청에서 가장 높은 깔따구-특이-IgE 항체를 얻을 수 있었다. 노랑털깔따구 성충의 조항원을 SDS-PAGE로 전기영동하여 16-18개의 단백질 구획을 얻었고 이를 chemiluminescent substrate를 이용하여 면역이적법을 시행한 결과 65 kDa에서 강한 단백질 구획이 52 35 및 25 kDa에서 약한 단백질 구획이 관찰되었다. 깔따구 조항원을 전기영동한 겔을 30개 절편으로 절단하여 추출한 각각의 단백질 분획을 P-K 피부반응검사한 결과, 65, 52 및 35 kDa 부위에서 강한 양성반응을 보여 항원성이 확인되었고, 25 kDa 부위에서는 약한 반응을 보였다. 면역이적법에서 관찰하지 못한 15 kDa 부위의 단백질에서도 높은 P-Ktiter값을 보여 15 kDa 단백질도 항원성이 있음을 알 수 있었다. 이상의 결과에서 국내 우점종인 노랑털깔따구 성충이 알레르기 질환의 원인 항원으로 작용하며 주항원 단백질은 15, 35, 52 및 65 kDa의 4개이고 이중 65 kDa 단백질이 가장 강한 allergen으로 관찰되었다.