Localization of Antigens and Allergens in Thin Sections of the House Dust Mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae)

Cryostat sections of the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, were probed in fluorescent microscopy studies with rabbit polyclonal and mouse monoclonal antibodies specific for mite allergens including the major allergen, Der p I. Sections also were probed for allergens with sera from human mite-allergic subjects containing IgE antibodies to mite allergens and with lectins. Antibody binding was mainly to the gut lining and gut contents of the mite, although some specific labeling also was associated with the head region and cuticle. This is the first detailed localization of mite allergens in situ. The morphology of the mite was investigated using plastic embedded thin sections and was found to be similar to that previously described for D. farinae.