Aspergillus fumigatus an opportunistic fungus is associated with a number of diseases in humans. Allergy resulting from exposure to the A. fumigatus allergens has been recognized frequently. The damage caused by the disease is very striking in patients with atopy and those with cystic fibrosis. Avoidance to exposure is not feasible because A. fumigatus spores are ubiquitously distributed in the environment. Hence, immunotherapeutic regimens in severe forms of A. fumigatus allergy may have a high potential. However, before such forms of therapy can be envisaged, it is essential to understand the immunopathogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the role of purified A. fumigatus allergens in the development of allergic asthma in mice. We have used four major recombinant A. fumigatus allergens in the murine model. Mice exposed to Asp f 1, f 3, and f 4 showed inflammatory changes in the lungs and airway hyperreactivity. The immune responses, including elevated serum IgE, enhanced eosinophils, recruitment in the peripheral blood and lungs, and expression of regulatory cytokines, are characteristic of a Th2 response. Asp f 6 demonstrated only a reduced response in these animals. The results suggest that the pathology induced by crude A. fumigatus extract results from the cumulative effects of the allergens and the individual responses varied considerably with different purified antigens.
Copyright 2001 Academic Press.