J Korean Med Sci.  2007 Oct;22(5):820-824. 10.3346/jkms.2007.22.5.820.

Allergic Asthma and Rhinitis Caused by Household Rabbit Exposure: Identification of Serum-Specific IgE and Its Allergens

• Choi JH
• Kim HM
• Park HS

• KMID: 1713287
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2007.22.5.820

Abstract

Although rabbits are common domestic pets, severe respiratory allergic reactions to rabbits in households are unusual. Ory c 1, a 17-kDa glycoprotein found in saliva and fur, has previously been identified as a major rabbit allergen. In this report, we describe the cases of three patients with rabbit allergy who presented with asthma and/or rhinitis while living in households with detectable levels of serum-specific IgE and major IgE binding components. Three patients with rabbit allergy and 18 unexposed nonatopic healthy controls were enrolled. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for serum-specific IgE and IgG4 to rabbit epithelium and inhibition ELISA were performed followed by sodium dodecye sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and IgE immunoblotting. All three patients with rabbit allergy had high serum-specific IgE antibody levels compared with controls. The results of the inhibition ELISA showed significant inhibition with the addition of rabbit epithelium, whereas no significant inhibition was noted with the addition of cat and dog epithelia. Two IgE-binding components with molecular weights of 16 kDa and 67.5 kDa were identified by IgE immunoblotting. In conclusion, rabbit exposure may induce IgE-mediated bronchial asthma and/or rhinitis in domestic settings.

Keyword

Rabbits, Animals; Domestic; Hypersensitivity; Allergens

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Allergens/*blood
Animals
Asthma/*immunology/metabolism
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods
Female
Humans
Hypersensitivity/*immunology/metabolism
Hypersensitivity, Immediate/immunology
Immunoblotting
Immunoglobulin E/*blood/*chemistry
Immunoglobulin G/chemistry
Male
Rabbits
Rhinitis/*immunology/metabolism

Figure

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  Fig. 1 PEFR values markedly decreased while at home with the rabbit. PEFR, peak expiratory flow rate.

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  Fig. 2 Specific IgE (A) and IgG4 (B) binding to rabbit epithelium according to ELISA using sera from three patients with rabbit allergy (●) and unexposed healthy controls (○). Solid lines represent mean + 3 SD, and dotted lines represent mean values of the healthy controls.

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  Fig. 3 Inhibition ELISA using a sera pool from three patients with rabbit allergy with the addition of rabbit (●), cat (■), and dog (▲) epithelia and D. pteronyssinus (◆) extracts.

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  Fig. 4 IgE (A) and IgG4 (B) immunoblot analysis for rabbit epithelium in sera from three sensitized patients (1-3), nonatopic controls (n), and buffer controls (b).

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