A detailed scientific description of the pathway from mite exposure to allergy
Within the text of the book there is an excellent review of the activities of the major house dust mite allergen Der p1. This review is headed: ‘Proteases Are Major Allergens derived from Various Organisms’, page 48 to 52. The chapter clearly describes the destructive pathways of which Der p1 is capable. As an active digestive enzyme it can even mimic a parasitic invasion by ‘clipping off’ sensors of delicate immune cells. The chapter also describes how Der p1 can cause non-IgE reactions, which then can cascade towards allergy and asthma.
The book also addresses how it has recently been demonstrated that helminth (worm) infections have negative effects on allergic disease manifestation. Scientists now believe that regulatory cell populations appear to control Th1 and Th2 immune responses. Regulatory cells such as T and B cells, natural killer T cells, mast cells and basophiles, all come under the scrutiny of the international teams that contribute to this work. Many of these cells also respond to parasites and house dust mite droppings.
This is important reading for students wishing to study how house dust mites affect human health.
Reference: ‘Parasites and Allergy’ Chemical Immunology and Allergy, Vol.90 Editors M. Capron; F. Trottein, Lille 2006, ISBN 3-8055-7974-8
