Studies on the Human Dandruff Allergen

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A purified allergen isolated from human dandruff has been examined electrophoretically and immunoelectrophoretically, and analysed for sugar constituents. The material was precipitated in ammonium sulphate solution between 35 and 80% saturation and remained in the supernatant on acidification of pH 4.2. It contained about 6% sugars, which included N-acetylneuraminic acid (0.5%), hexosamine (0.8%), galactose, glucose, mannose and fucose. Evidence is presented for the incorporation of N-glycosidic linkages in the dandruff allergen molecule. The allergen is suggested to arise by Maillard reaction between normal epidermal glycoprotein and ribose in the upper layers of the epidermis or in the stratum corneum. The dandruff allergen preparation cross-reacted with purified house dust allergen in skin tests in the majority of atopic patients. The possibility of common structural features between the allergens is discussed in relation to the identity of the antibody-combining site.

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit: