Hiroshima University

Fumakilla Limited

Satoru Oka

Kazuhisa Ono

Seiko Shigeta

Takeshi Wada

The present invention is directed to novel purified and isolated mite allergens possessing mite allergen activity with a molecular weight of about 94,000, about 40,000, about 16,000 or about 14,000 as determined by SDS-PAGE, which can be isolated from extracts of mites, and to a process for producing such mites allergens. The purified and isolated mite allergens of the present invention are useful as a pharmaceutical and a diagnostic composition for mite allergic diseases.

Purified mite allergen

New purified mite allergens useful as pharmaceutical and diagnostic compositions for the treatment and diagnosis of mite allergic diseases are provided. Both allergens are contained in fecal extracts of mites in culture. The high molecular weight allergen has a weight average molecular weight of 70,000 to 80,000 as determined by sedimentation equilibrium. This is a glycoprotein containing more than about 70% sugar, and possesses allergen activity. The low molecular weight antigen has a molecular weight of 1,500 to 5,000 as determined by Sephadex G25 gel filtration. This is a glycoprotein containing more than about 40% sugar, and also possesses allergen activity.

Low molecular weight allergen obtained from Dermatophagoides farinae

The present invention is directed to novel purified and isolated mite allergens possessing mite allergen activity with a molecular weight of about 94,000, about 40,000, about 16,000 or about 14,000 as determined by SDS-PAGE, which can be isolated from extracts of mite, and to a process for producing such mite allergens. The purified and isolated mites allergens of the present invention are useful as a pharmaceutical and a diagnostic composition for mite allergic diseases.

The present invention is directed to a recombinant mite allergen obtainable by expression of a mite-body-derived gene, a gene which codes for said allergen, a mite allergen fragment, a polypeptide having an epitope contained in said allergen, an expression vector capable of expressing the gene, a bacterium, yeast or mammalian cell transformed with said expression vector, a method for producing said allergen, and a pharmaceutical composition or a diagnostic reagent for the treatment of mite allergic diseases.

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Hiroshima, Japan

Satoru Oka