Patent Publication Number: US-2006008873-A1

Title: Cloning and sequencing of allergens of dermatophagoides (house dust mite)

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. Ser. No. 458,642 entitled “Cloning of Mite Allergens”, by Wayne Robert Thomas, Geoffrey Alexander, Stewart Keven James Turner and Richard John Simpson (filed Feb. 13, 1990). The teachings of application U.S. Ser. No. 45.8,642 are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FUNDING  
      Work described herein was funded by grants from the Princess Margaret Children&#39;s Medical Research Foundation, the Australian Health and Medical Research Council and the Asthma Foundation of Australia.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Recent reports have documented the importance of responses to the Group I and Group II allergens in house dust mite allergy. For example, it has been documented that over 60% of patients have at least 50% of their anti-mite antibodies directed towards these proteins (Lind, P. et al.,  Allergy,  39:259-274 (1984); van der Zee, J. S. et al.,  J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.,  81:884-896 (1988)). It is possible that children show a greater degree of reactivity (Thompson, P. J. et al.,  Immunology,  64:311-314 (1988)). Allergy to mites of the genus  Dermatophagoides  ( D. ) is associated with conditions such as asthma, rhinitis and ectopic dermatitis. Two species,  D. pteronyssinus  and  D. farinae , predominate and, as a result, considerable effort has been expended in trying to identify the allergens produced by these two species.  D. pteronyssinus  mites are the most common  Dermatophagoides  species in house dust in Western Europe and Australia. The species  D. farinae  predominates in other countries, such as, North America and Japan (Wharton, G. W.,  J. Medical Entom,  12:577-621 (1976)). It has long been recognized that allergy to mites of this genus is associated with diseases such as asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. It is still not clear what allergens produced by these mites are responsible for the allergic response and associated conditions.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to isolated DNA which encodes a protein allergen of  Dermatophagoides  ( D. ) house dust mite) or a peptide which includes at least one epitope of a protein allergen of a house dust mite of the genus  Dermatophagoides.  It particularly relates to DNA encoding major allergens of the species  D. farinae,  designated  Der f  I and  Der f  II, or portions of these major allergens (i.e., peptides which include at least one epitope of  Der f  I or of  Der f  II). It also particularly relates to DNA encoding major allergens of  D. pteronyssinus , designated  Der p  I and  Der p  II, or portions of these major allergens (i.e., peptides which include at least one epitope of  Der p  I or of  Der p  II.  
      The present invention further relates to proteins and peptides encoded by the isolated  Dermatophagoides  (e.g.,  D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus ) DNA. Peptides of the present invention include at least one epitope of a  D. farinae  allergen (e.g., at least one epitope of  Der f  I or of  Der f  II) or at least one epitope of a  D. pteronyssinus  allergen (e.g., at least one epitope of  Der p  I or of  Der p  II). It also relates to antibodies specific for  D. farinae  proteins or peptides and to antibodies specific for  D. pteronyssinus  proteins or peptides.  
       Dermatophagoides  DNA, proteins and peptides of the present invention are useful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. For example, isolated  D. farinae  protein or peptide can be used to detect sensitivity in an individual to house dust mites and can be used to treat sensitivity (reduce sensitivity or desensitize) in an individual, to whom therapeutically effective quantities of the  D. farinae  protein or peptide is administered. For example, isolated  D. farinae  protein allergen, such as  Der f  I or  Der f  II can be administered periodically, using standard techniques, to an individual in order to desensitize the individual. Alternatively, a peptide which includes at least one epitope of  Der f  I or of  Der f  II can be administered for this purpose. Isolated  D. pteronyssinus  protein allergen, such as  Der p  I or  Der p  II, can be administered as described for  Der f  I or  Der f  II. Similarly a peptide which includes at least one  Der p  I epitope or at least one  Der p  II epitope can be administered for this purpose. A combination of these proteins or peptides (e.g.,  Der f  I and  Der f  II;  Der p  I and  Der p  II; or a mixture of both  Der f  and  Der  p proteins) can also be administered. The use of such isolated proteins or peptides provides a means of desensitizing individuals to important house dust mite allergens. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a restriction map of the cDNA insert of clone λgt11 f 1, including a schematic representation of the strategy of DNA sequencing. Arrows indicate directions in which sequences were read.  
       FIG. 2  is the nucleotide sequence and the predicted amino acid sequence of cDNA λgt11 f 1. Numbers above are nucleotide positions; numbers to the left are amino acid positions. Positive amino acid residue numbers correspond to the sequence of the mature excreted  Der f  I beginning with threonine. Negative sequence numbers refer to the signal peptide and the proenzyme regions of  Der f  I. The arrows indicate the beginning of the proenzyme sequence and the mature  Der f  I, respectively. The underlined residues −81 to −78 make up the proposed cleavage site for the proenzyme formation, while the underlined residues 53-55 represent a potential N-glycosylation site. The termination TGA codon and the adjacent polyadenylation signal are also underlined. Amino acid residues 1-28 correspond to a known tryptic peptide sequence determined by conventional amino acid sequencing analysis.  
       FIG. 3  is a composite alignment of the amino acid sequences of the mature  Der p  I and  Der f  I proteins. The numbering above the sequence refers to  Der p  I. The asterisk denotes the gap that was introduced for maximal alignment. The symbol (.) is used to indicate that the amino acid residue of  Der f  I at that position is identical to the corresponding amino acid residue of  Der p  I. The arrows indicate those residues making up the active site of  Der p  I and  Der f  I.  
       FIG. 4  is a comparison of the amino acid sequence in the pre- and pro-peptide regions of  Der f  I with those of rat cathepsin H. rat cathepsin L, papain, aleurain, CP1, CP2, rat cathepsin B, CTLA-2, MCP,  Der p  I and actinidin. Gaps, denoted by dashes, were added for maximal alignment. Double asterisks denote conserved amino acid residues which are shared by greater than 80% of the proenzymes; single asterisks show residues which are conserved in greater than 55% of the sequences. The symbol (.) is used to denote semiconserved equivalent amino acids which are shared by greater than 90% of the proenzyme regions.  
       FIG. 5  is a hydrophilicity plot of the  Der p  I mature protein and a hydrophilicity plot of the  Der f  I mature protein produced using the Hopp-Woods algorithm computed with the Mac Vector Sequence Analysis Software (IBI, New Haven) using a 6 residue window. Positive values indicate relative hydrophilicity and negative values indicating relative hydrophobicity.  
       FIG. 6  is the nucleotide sequence and the predicted amino acid sequence of  Der f  II cDNA. Numbers to the right are nucleotide positions and numbers above are amino acid residues. The stop (TAA) signal is underlined. The first 8 nucleotides are from the oligonucleotide primer used to generate the cDNA, based on the  Der p  II sequence.  
       FIG. 7  is the nucleotide sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of cDNA λgt11 p1(13T). Numbers to the right are nucleotides and numbers above are amino acid positions. Positive amino acids correspond to the sequence of mature excreted  Der p  I beginning with threonine.  
       FIG. 8  is a restriction map of  Der f  II cDNA, which was generated by computer from the sequence data. A map of  Der p  II similarly generated is shown for comparison. There are few common restriction enzyme sites conserved. Sites marked with an asterisk were introduced by cloning procedures.  
       FIG. 9  shows the alignment of  Der f  II and  Der p  II cDNA sequences. Numbers to the right are nucleotide position and numbers above and amino acid residues. The top line gives the  Der p  II nucleotide sequence and the second the  Der p  II amino acid residue&#39;s. The next two lines show differences of  Der f  II to these sequences.  
       FIG. 10  is a hydrophilicity plot of  Der f  II and  Der p  II using the Hopp-Woods algorithm computed with the Mac Vector Sequence Analysis Software (IBI, New Haven) using a 6-residue window.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a nucleotide sequence coding for an allergen from the house dust mite  Dermatophagoides  and to the encoded  Dermatophagoides  protein or peptide which includes at least one epitope of the  Dermatophagoides  allergen. It particularly relates to a nucleotide sequence capable of expression in an appropriate host of a major allergen of  D. farinae,  such as  Der f  I or  Der f  II, or of a peptide which includes at least one epitope of  Der f  I or of  Der f  II. It also particularly relates to a nucleotide sequence capable of expression in an appropriate host of a major allergen of  D. pteronyssinus , such as  Der p  I or  Der p  II, or of a peptide which includes at least one epitope of  Der p  I or of  Der p  II. The  Dermatophagoides  nucleotide sequence is useful as a probe for identifying additional nucleotide sequences which hybridize to it and encode other mite allergens, particularly  D. farinae  or  D. pteronyssinus  allergens. Further, the present invention relates to nucleotide sequences which hybridize to a  D. farinae  protein-encoding nucleotide sequence or a  D. pteronyssinus  protein-encoding nucleotide sequence but which encode a protein from another species or type of house dust mite, such as  D. microceras  (e.g.,  Der m  I and  Der m  II).  
      The encoded  Dermatophagoides  mite allergen or peptide which includes at least one  Dermatophagoides  ( Der f  I or  Der f  II;  Der p  I or  Der p  II) epitope can be used for diagnostic purposes (e.g., as an antigen) and for therapeutic purposes (e.g., to desensitize an individual). Alternatively, the encoded house dust mite allergen can be a protein or peptide, such as a  D. microceras  protein or peptide, which displays the antigenicity of or is cross-reactive with a  Der f  or a  Der p  allergen; generally, these have a high degree of amino acid homology.  
      Accordingly, the present invention also relates to compositions which include a  Dermatophagoides  allergen (e.g.,  Der f  I or allergen,  Der f  II allergen;  Der p  I or  Der p  II allergen or other  D.  allergen cross-reactive therewith) or a peptide which includes at least one epitope of a  Dermatophagoides  allergen ( Der f  I,  Der f  II,  Der p  I,  Der p  II or other  D.  allergen cross-reactive therewith) individually or in combination, and which can be used for therapeutic applications (e.g., desensitization). As is described below, DNA coding for major allergens from house dust mites have been isolated and sequenced. In particular, and as is described in greater detail in the Examples, two cDNA clones, coding, respectively, for  Der f  I allergen and  Der f  II allergen, have been isolated and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences of  Der p  I and  Der p  II have also been determined. The nucleotide sequence of each of these clones has been compared with that of the homologous allergen from the related mite  D. pteronyssinus  ( Der p  I and  Der p  II, respectively), as has the predicted amino acid sequence of each.  
      The following is a description of isolation and sequencing of the two cDNA clones coding for  Der f  allergens and their comparison with the corresponding  D. pteronyssinus  allergen and a description of use of the nucleotide sequences and encoded products in a diagnostic or a therapeutic context.  
      Isolation and Sequence Analysis of  Der f  I  
      A cDNA clone coding for  Der f  I, a major allergen from the house dust mite  D. farinae,  has been isolated and sequenced. A restriction map of the cDNA insert of the clone is represented in  FIG. 1 , as is the strategy of DNA sequencing. This  Der f  I cDNA clone contains a 1.1-kb cDNA insert encoding a typical signal peptide, a proenzyme region and the mature  Der f  I protein. The product is 321 amino acid residues: a putative 18 residue signal peptide, an 80 residue proenzyme (pro-peptide) region, and a 223 residue mature enzyme region. The derived molecular weight is 25,191. The nucleotide sequence and the predicted amino acid sequence of the  Der f  I cDNA are represented in  FIG. 2 . The deduced amino acid sequence shows significant homology to other cysteine proteases in the pro-region, as well as in the mature protein. Sequence alignment of the mature  Der f  I protein with the homologous allergen  Der p  I from the related mite  D. pteronyssinus  ( FIG. 3 ) revealed a high degree of homology (81%) between the two proteins, as predicted by previous sequencing at the protein level. In particular, the residues comprising the active site of these enzymes were conserved and a potential N-glycosylation site was present at equivalent positions in both mite allergens.  
      Conserved cysteine residue pairs (31, 71) and (65, 103), where the numbering refers to  Der p  I, are apparently involved in disulphide bond formation on the basis of the assumed similarity of the three dimensional structure of  Der p  I and  Der f  I to that of papain and actinidin, which also have an additional disulphide bridge. The fifth and final cysteine residue for which there is a homologous cysteine residue in papain and actinidin is the active site cysteine (residue 35 in  Der f  I). It is not unlikely that the two extra cysteine residues present in  Der p  I and  Der f  I may be involved in forming a third disulphide bridge.  
      The potential N-glycosylation site in  Der p  I is also present at the equivalent position in  Der f  I, with conservation of the crucial first and last residues of the tripeptide site. The degree of glycosylation of  Der f  I and  Der p  I has yet to be determined. Carbohydrates, including mannose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine, have been reported in purified preparations of these mite allergens (Chapman, M. D.,  J. Immunol.,  125:587-592 (1980); Wolden,; S. et al.,  Int. Arch. Allergy Appl. Immunol.,  68:144-151 (1982)).  
      Given the degree of homology over the first thirty N-terminal amino acid residues between mature  Der p  I and  Der m  I (70%) and mature  Der f  I and  Der m  I (97%) with the  Der m  I residues determined by conventional amino acid sequencing (Platts-Mills TAE et al., In:  Mite Allergy, a World - Wide Problem , 27-29 (1988); Lind, P. and N. Horn, In:  Mite Allergy, a World - Wide Problem,  30-34 (1988)), it is probable that the full mature  Der m  I sequence will confirm an overall 70-80% homology between the Group I mite allergens.  Der m  I is an allergen from  D. microceras . High homology between the proenzyme moieties of  Der p  I and  Der f  I (91%) over the residues −23 to −1 and the structural analysis of  Der f  I suggests that the Group I allergens are likely to have N-terminal extension peptides of the mature protein of homologous structure and, at least for the pro-peptide, composition.  
      Studies on the fine structure of the design of signal sequences have identified three structurally dissimilar regions so far: a positively charged N-terminal (n) region, a central hydrophobic (h) region and a more polar C-terminal (c) region that seems to define the cleavage site (Von Heijne, G.,  EMBO J.,  3:2315-2323 (1984);  Eur. J. Biochem.,  133:17-21 (1983);  J. Mol. Biol.,  184:99-105 (1985)). Analysis of the signal peptide of  Der f  I revealed that it, too, contained these regions ( FIG. 4 ). The n-region is extremely variable in length and composition, but its net charge does not vary appreciably with the overall length, and has a mean value of about +1.7. The n-region of the  Der f  I signal peptide, with a length of two residues, has a net charge of +2 contributed by the initiator methionine (which is unformylated and hence positively charged in eukaryotes) and the adjacent lysine (Lys) residue. The h-region of  Der f  I is enriched with hydrophobic residues, the characteristic feature of this region, with only one hydrophilic residue serine (Ser) present which can be tolerated. The overall amino acid composition of the  Der f  I c-region is more polar than that of the h-region as is found in signal sequences with the h/c boundary located between residues −6 and −5, which is its mean position in eukaryotes. Thus, the  Der f  I pre-peptide sequence appears to fulfill the requirements to which a functional signal sequence must conform.  
      While the signal sequence of  Der f  I and other cysteine proteases share structural homology, all being composed of the n,h and c-regions, they are highly variable with respect to overall length and amino acid sequence, as is clear in  FIG. 4 . However, significant sequence homology has been shown between the pro-regions of cysteine protease precursors (Ishidoh, K. et al.,  FEBS Letters,  226:33-37 (1987)). Alignment of the proenzyme regions of  Der f  I and a number of other cysteine proteases ( FIG. 4 ) indicated that these proregions share a number of very conserved residues as well as semi-conserved residues which were present in over half of the sequences. This homology was increased if conservative amino acids such as valine (Val), isoleucine (Ile) and leucine (Leu) (small hydrophobic residues) or arginine (Arg) and Lys (positively charged residues) were regarded as identical. The  Der f  I proregion possessed six out of the seven highly conserved amino acids and all the residues at sites of conservative changes. The homology at less conserved sites was lower. Homology in the pro-peptide, in particular the highly conserved residues, may be important when considering the function of the pro-peptide in the processing of these enzymes, since it indicates that these sequences probably have structural and functional similarities.  
      Highly cross-reactive B cell epitopes on  Der f  I and  Der p  I have been demonstrated using anti-bodies present in mouse, rabbit and human sera (Heymann, P. W. et al.,  J. Immunol.  137:2841-2847 (1986); Platts-Mills, TAE et al.,  J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.,  78:398-407 (1986)). However, species-specific epitopes have also been defined in these systems. Murine monoclonal antibodies bound pre-dominantly to species-specific determinants (Platts-Mills TAE et al.,  J. Immunol.,  139:1479-1484 (1987). Some 40% of rabbit anti- Der p  I reactivity was accounted for by epitopes unique to  Der p  I (Platts-Mills, TAE et al.,  J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.,  78:398-407 (1986)), and some species-specific binding of antibodies from allergic humans was observed, although the majority bind to cross-reactive epitopes (Platts-Mills TAE et al.,  J. Immunol.,  139:1479-1484 (1987).  
      The recombinant DNA strategy of gene fragmentation aid expression was used (Greene, W. K. et al.,  Immunol.  (1990)) to define five antigenic regions of recombinant  Der p  I which contained B cell epitopes recognized by a rabbit anti- Der p  I antiserum. Using the technique of immunoabsorption, three of these putative epitopes were shown to be shared with  Der f  I (located on regions containing amino acid residues 34-47, 60-72 and 166-194) while two appeared to be specific for  Der p  I (regions 82-99 and 112-140). Differences in the reactivity of these peptides to rabbit anti- D. farinae  supported the above division into cross-reactive and species-specific epitopes. The sequence differences shown between the  Der p  I and the  Der f  I proteins are primarily located in the N and C terminal regions, as well as in an extended surface loop (residues 85-136) linking the two domains of the enzyme that includes helix D (residues 127-136), as predicted from the secondary and tertiary structures of papain and actinidin (Baker,. E. N. and J. Drenth,  In: Biological Macromolecules and Assemblies,  Vol. 3, pp. 314-368, John Wiley and Sons, NY. (1987)). The surface location of these residues is supported by the hydrophilicity plots of  Der p  I and  Der f  I in  FIG. 5 , which illustrate the predominantly hydrophilic nature of this region that predicts surface exposure. This region also contains the two species-specific B cell epitopes recognized by the rabbit anti- Der p  I serum (see above). Analysis of the sequences in the regions containing the cross-reactive epitopes showed that two of the cross-reactive epitopes (located in regions 34-47 and 60-72) are completely conserved between  Der p  I and  Der f  I, while the majority of residues in a third cross-reactive epitope-containing region (residues region 166-194) were conserved.  
      Expression of results in production of pre-pro- Der f  I protein in  E. coli  a recombinant protein of greater solubility, stability and antigenicity than that of recombinant  Der p  I. Protein encoded by  Der f  I cDNA has been expressed using a pGEX vector and has been shown by radioimmune assay to react with rabbit anti- D. farinae  antibodies. The availability of high yields of soluble  Der f  I allergen and antigenic derivatives will facilitate the development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents and the mapping of B and T cell antigenic determinants.  
      With the availability of the complete amino acid sequence of recombinant  Der f  I, mapping of the epitopes recognized by both the B and T cell compartments of the immune system can be carried out. The use of techniques such as the screening of overlapping synthetic peptides, the use of mono-clonal antibodies and gene fragmentation and expression should enable the identification of both the continuous and topographical epitopes of  Der f  I. It will be particularly useful to determine whether allergenic (IgE-binding) determinants have common features and are intrinsically different from antigenic (IgG-binding) determinants and whether T cells recognize unique epitopes different from those recognized by B cells. Studies to identify the  Der f  I epitopes reactive with mite allergic human IgE antibodies and the division of these into determinants cross-reactive with  Der p  I and determinants unique to  Der f  I can also be carried out. B cell (and T cell) epitopes&#39;specific for either species can be used to provide useful diagnostic reagents for determining reactivity to the different mite species, while cross-reacting epitopes are candidates for a common immuno-therapeutic agent.  
      As described in co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 458,643, incorporated herein by reference, the molecular cloning of mite allergens resulted in the isolation of a cDNA clone coding for  Der p  I which contained a 0.8-kb cDNA insert. Sequence analysis revealed that the 222 amino acid residue mature recombinant  Der p  I protein showed significant homology with a group of cysteine proteases, including actinidin, papain, cathepsin H and cathepsin B.  
      Isolation and Sequence Analysis of  Der f  II  
      A cDNA clone coding for  Der f  II, a major allergen from the house dust mite  D. farinae,  has been isolated and sequenced, as described in Example 2. The nucleotide sequence and the predicted amino acid sequence of the  Der f  II cDNA are represented in  FIG. 6 . A restriction map of the cDNA insert of a clone coding for  Der f  II is represented in  FIG. 8 .  
       FIG. 9  shows the alignment of  Der f  II and  Der p  II cDNA sequences.  
      The homology of the sequence of  Der f  II with  Der p  II (88%) is higher than the 81% homology found with  Der p  I and  Der f  I, which is significantly different (p&lt;0.05) using the chi 2  distribution. The reason for this may simply be that the Group I allergens are larger and each residue may be less critical for the structure and function of the molecule. It is known; for example, that assuming they adopt a similar conformation to other cysteine proteases, many of the amino acid differences in  Der p  I and  Der f  I lie in residues linking the two domain structures of the molecules. The 6 cysteine molecules are conserved between the group II allergens, suggesting a similar disulphide bonding, although this may be expected, given the high overall homology. Another indication of the conservation of these proteins is that 34/55 of the nucleotide changes of the coding sequence are in the third base of a codon, which usually does not change the amino acid. Residues that may be of importance in the function of the molecule are Ser 57 where all three bases are changed but the amino acid is conserved. A similar phenomenon exists at residue 88, where a complete codon change has conserved a small aliphatic residue. Again, like  Der p  II, the  Der f  II cDNA clone does not have a poly A tail, although the 3′ non-coding region is rich in adenosine and has two possible polyadenylation signals ATAA. The nucleotides encoding the first four residues are from the PCR primer which was designed from the known homology of  Der p  II and  Der f  II from N-terminal amino acid sequencing. A primer based on the C-terminal sequence can now be used to determine these bases, as well as the signal sequence.  
      Uses of the Subject Allergenic Proteins/Peptides and DNA Encoding Same  
      The materials resulting from the work described herein, as well as compositions containing these materials, can be used in methods of diagnosing, treating and preventing allergic responses to mite allergens, particularly to mites of the genus  Dermatophagoides,  such as  D. farinae  and other species (e.g.,  D. pteronyssinus  and  D. microceras ). In addition, the cDNA (or the mRNA from which it was transcribed) can be used to identify other similar sequences. This can be carried out, for example, under conditions of low stringency and those sequences having sufficient homology (generally greater than 40%) can be selected for further assessment using the method described herein. Alternatively, high stringency conditions can be used. In this manner, DNA of the present invention can be used to identify sequences coding for mite allergens having amino acid sequences similar to that of  Der f  I,  Der f  II,  Der p  I or  Der p  II. Thus, the present invention includes not only  Der f  and  Der p  II, but other mite allergens as well (e.g., other mite allergens encoded by DNA which hybridizes to DNA of the present invention).  
      Proteins or peptides encoded by the cDNA of the present invention can be used, for example, as “purified” allergens. Such purified allergens are useful in the standardization of allergen extracts or preparations which can be used as reagents for the diagnosis and treatment of allergy to h use dust mites. Through use of the peptides of the present invention, allergen preparations of consistent, well-defined composition and biological activity can be made and administered for therapeutic purposes (e.g., to modify the allergic response of a house dust mite-sensitive individual).  Der f  I or  Der f  II peptides or proteins (or modified versions thereof, such as are described below) may, for example, modify B-cell response to  Der f  I or  Der f  II, T-cell response to  Der f  I and  Der f  II, or both responses. Similarly,  Der p  I or  Der p  II proteins or peptides may be used to modify B-cell and/or T-cell response to.  Der p  I or  Der p  II. Purified allergens can also be used to study the mechanism of immunotherapy of allergy to house dust mites, particularly to  Der f  I,  Der f  II,  Der p  I and  Der p  II, and to design modified derivatives or analogues which are more useful in immunotherapy than are the unmodified (“naturally-occurring”) peptides.  
      In those instances in which there are epitopes which are cross-reactive, such as the three epitopes described herein which are shared by  Der f  I and  Der p  I, the area(s) of the molecule which contain the cross-reactive epitopes can be used as common immunotherapeutic peptides to be administered in treating allergy to the two (or more) mite species which share the epitope. For example, the cross-reactive epitopes could be used to induce IgG blocking antibody against both allergens (e.g.,  Der f  I and  Der p  I allergen). A peptide containing a univalent antibody epitope can be used, rather than the entire molecule, and may prove advantagious because the univalent antibody epitope cannot crosslink mast cells and cause adverse reactions during desensitizing treatments. It is also possible to attach a B cell epitope to a carrier molecule to direct T cell control of allergic responses.  
      Alternatively, it may be desirable or necessary to have peptides which are specific to a selected  Dermatophagoides  allergen. As described herein, two epitopes which are apparently  Der p  I-specific have been identified. A similar approach can be used to identify other species-specific epitopes (e.g.,  Der p  I or II,  Der f  I or II. The presence in an individual of antibodies to the species-specific epitopes can be used as a quick serological test to determine which mite species is causing the allergic response. This would make it possible to specifically target therapy provided to an individual to the causative species and, thus, enhance the therapeutic effect.  
      Work by others has shown that high doses of allergens generally produce the best results (i.e., best symptom relief). However, many people are unable to tolerate large doses of allergens because of allergic reactions to the allergens. Modification of naturally-occurring allergens can be designed in such a manner that modified peptides or modified, allergens which have the same or enhanced therapeutic properties as the corresponding naturally-occurring allergen but have reduced side effects (especially, anaphylactic reactions) can be produced. These can be, for example, a peptide of the present invention (e.g., one having all or a portion of the amino acid sequence of  Der f  I or  Der f  II,  Der p  I or  Der p  II). Alternatively, a combination of peptides can be administered. A modified peptide or peptide analogue (e.g., a peptide in which the amino acid sequence has been altered to modify immunogenicity and/or reduce allergenicity or to which a component has been added for the same purpose) can be used for desensitization therapy.  
      Administration of the peptides of the present invention to an individual to be desensitized can be carried out using known techniques. A peptide or combination of different peptides can be administered to an individual in a composition which includes, for example, an appropriate buffer, a carrier and/or an adjuvant. Such compositions will generally be administered by injection, inhalation, transdermal application or rectal administration. Using the information now available, it is possible to design a  Der f  I or  Der f  II peptide which, when administered to a sensitive individual in sufficient quantities, will modify the individual&#39;s allergic response to a  Der f  I and/or  Der f  II. This can be done, for example, by examining the structures of  Der f  I or  Der f  II, producing peptides to be examined for their ability to influence B-cell and/or T-cell responses in house dust mite-sensitive individuals and selecting appropriate epitopes recognized by the cells. Synthetic amino acid sequences which mimic those of the epitopes and which are capable of down regulating allergic response to  Der f  I or  Der f  II allergen can be made. Proteins, peptides or antibodies of the present invention can also be used, in known methods, for detecting and diagnosing allergic response to  Der f  I or  Der f  II. For example, this can be done by combining blood obtained from an individual to be assessed for sensitivity to one of these allergens with an isolated allergenic peptide of house dust mite, under conditions appropriate for binding of or stimulating components (e.g., antibodies, T cells, B cells) in the blood with the peptide and determining the extent to which such binding occurs. The  Der p  I and  Der p  II proteins or peptides can be used in a similar manner for desensitization and diagnosis of sensitivity.  Der f  and  Der p  proteins or peptides can be administered together to treat an individual sensitive to both allergen types.  
      It is now also possible to design an agent or a drug capable of blocking or inhibiting the ability of  Der f  I or  Der f  II to induce an allergic reaction in house dust mite-sensitive individuals. Such agents could be designed, for example, in such a manner that they would bind to relevant anti- Der f  I or anti- Der f  II IgEs, thus preventing IgE-allergen binding and subsequent mast cell degranulation. Alternatively, such agents could bind to cellular components of the immune system, resulting in suppression or desensitization of the allergic response to these allergens. A non-restrictive example of this is the use of appropriate B- and T-cell epitope peptide&#39;s, or modifications thereof, based on the cDNA/protein structures of the present invention to suppress the allergic response to  Der f  I or  Der f  II allergens. This can be carried out by defining the structures of B- and T-cell epitope peptides which affect B- and T-cell function in in vitro studies with blood cells from  Der f  I or  Der f  II-sensitive individuals. This can also be applied to  Der p  I or  Der p  II, in order to block allergic response to these allergens.  
      The cDNA encoding  Der f  I or  Der f  II or peptide including at least one epitope can be used to produce additional peptides, using known techniques such as gene cloning. A method of producing a protein or a peptide of the present invention can include, for example, culturing a host cell containing an expression vector which, in turn, contains DNA encoding all or a portion of a selected allergenic protein or peptide (e.g.,  Der f  I,  Der f  II or a peptide including at least one epitope). Cells are cultured under conditions appropriate for expression of the DNA insert (production of the encoded protein or peptide). The expressed product is then recovered, using known techniques. Alternatively, the allergen or portion thereof can be synthesized using known mechanical or chemical techniques. As used herein, the term protein or peptide refers to proteins or peptides made by any of these techniques. The resulting peptide can, in turn, bee used as described previously.  
      DNA to be used in any embodiment of this invention can be cDNA obtained as described herein or, alternatively, can be any oligodeoxynucleotide sequence having all or a portion of the sequence represented in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , or their functional equivalent. Such oligodeoxynucleotide sequences can be produced chemically or mechanically, using known techniques. A functional equivalent of an oligonucleotide sequence is one which is capable of hybridizing to a complementary oligonucleotide sequence to which the sequence (or corresponding sequence portions) of  FIGS. 2 and 6  hybridizes and/or which encodes a product (e.g., a polypeptide or peptide) having the same functional characteristics of the product encoded by the sequence (or corresponding sequence portion) represented in these figures. Whether a functional equivalent must meet one or both criteria will depend on its use (e.g., if it is to be used only as an oligoprobe, it need meet only the first criterion and if it is to be used to produce house dust mite allergen, it need only meet the second criterion).  
      The structural information now available (e.g., DNA, protein/peptide sequences) can also be used to identify or define T cell epitope peptides and/or B cell epitope peptides which are of importance in allergic reactions to  D. farinae  allergens and to elucidate the mediators or mechanisms (e.g., interleukin-2, interleukin-4, gamma interferon) by which these reactions occur. This knowledge should make it-possible to design peptide-based house dust mite therapeutic agents or drugs which can be used to modulate these responses.  
      The present invention will now be further illustrated by the following Examples, which are not intended to be limiting in any way.  
     EXAMPLES  
     Example 1  
      Isolation and Characterization of cDNA Coding for  Der f  I  
      Materials and Methods  
      Dermatophagoides Farinae Culture  
      Mites were purchased from Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Parkville, Australia.  
      Construction of the  D. farinae  cDNA λgt11 Library  
      Polyadenylated mRNA was isolated from live  D. farinae  mites and cDNA was synthesized by the RNase H method (Gubler, V. and B. J. Hoffman,  Gene,  25:263-269 (1983)) using a kit (Amersham International, Bucks.). After the addition of EcoRI linkers (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) the cDNA was ligated to alkaline phosphatase treated λgt11 arms (Promega, Madison, Wis.). The ligated DNA was packaged and plated in  E. coli  Y1090 (r-) to produce a library of 2×10 4  recombinants.  
      Isolation of  Der f  I cDNA Clones from the  D. farinae  cDNA λgt11 Library  
      Screening of the library was performed by hybridization with two probes comprising the two  Der p  I cDNA BamHI fragments 1-348 and 349-857 generated by BamHI digestion of a derivative of the  Der p  I cDNA which has had two BamHI restriction sites inserted between amino acid residues −1 and 1 and between residues 116 and 117 by site-directed mutagenesis (Chua, K. Y. et al.,  J. Exp. Med.  167:175-182 (1988)). The probes were radiolabelled with  32 P by nick translation. Phage were plated at 20,000 pfu per 150 mm petri dish and plaques were lifted onto nitrocellulose (Schleicher and Schull, Dassel, FRG), denatured and baked (Maniatis, T. et al.,  Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1982)). Prehybridizations were performed for 2 hours at 42° C. in 50% formamide/5×SSCE/1x Denhardt&#39;s/poly C (0.1 mg/ml)/poly U(0.1 mg/ml) with hybridization overnight at 42° C. at 10 cpm/ml. Post hybridization washes consisted of 15 min washes at room temperature with 2× sodium chloride citrate (SSC)/0.1% sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), 0.5×SSC/0.1% SDS, 0.1×SSC/0.1% SDS successively and a final wash at 50° C. for 30 min in 0.1×SSC/1% SDS.  
      sIsolation of DNA from λgt11 f1 cDNA Clones  
      Phage DNA from λgt11 f 1 clones was prepared by a rapid isolation procedure. Clarified phage plate lysate (1 ml) was mixed with 270 μL of 25% wt/vol polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) in 2.5M NaCl and incubated at room temperature for 15 min. The mixture was then spun for 5 min in a microfuge (Eppendorf, FRG), and the supernatant was removed. The pellet was dissolved in 100 μL of 10 mM Tris/HCl pH8.0 containing 1 mM EDTA and 100 mM NaCl (TE). This DNA preparation was extracted with phenol/TE, the phenol phase was washed with 100 μl TE, the pooled aqueous phases were then extracted another 2 times with phenol/TE, 2 times with Leder phenol (phenol/chloroform/isoamylalcohol; 25:24:1), once with chloroform and the DNA was precipitated by ethanol.  
      DNA Sequencing  
      To obtain clones for DNA sequence analysis, the λgt11 f1 phage DNA was digested with EcoRI restriction enzyme (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) and the DNA insert was ligated to EcoRI-digested M13-derived sequencing vectors mp18 and mp19 (Maniatis, T. et al.,  Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual,  Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1982)). Transformation was carried out using  E. coli  TG-1 and sequencing was performed by the dideoxynucleotide chain termination method (Sanger, F. et al.,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,  74:5463-5467 (1977)) using the Sequenase version 2.0 DNA sequencing kit (U.S.B., Cleveland, Ohio).  
      Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)  
      PCR was performed by the Taq DNA polymerase method (Saiki, R. K. et al.,  Science.  239:487-491 (1988)) using the TaqPaq kit (Biotech International, Bentley, Wash.) and the conditions recommended by the supplier with long of target DNA and 10 pmol of λgt11 primers (New England BioLabs, Beverly, Mass.).  
      Results  
      Isolation of  Der f  I cDNA Clones  
      Two clones expressing the major mite allergen  Der f  I were isolated from the  D. farinae  cDNA λgt11 library by their ability to hybridize with both of the  Der p  I cDNA probes (nucleotides 1-348 and 349-857). This approach was adopted because amino acid sequencing had shown high homology (80%) between these two allergens (Thomas, W. R. et al.,  Advances in the Biosciences,  14:139-147 (1989)). Digestion of the λgt11 f1 clone DNA with EcoRI restriction enzyme to release the cDNA insert produced three  Der f  I cDNA EcoRI fragments: one approximately 800 bases long and a doublet approximately 150 bases long. The  Der f  I cDNA insert was also amplified from the phage DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) resulting in a PCR product of approximately 1.1-kb. Each  Der f  I cDNA fragment was cloned separately into the M13-derived sequencing vectors mp18 and mp19 and sequenced.  
      DNA Sequence Analysis  
      The nucleotide sequence of the  Der f  I cDNA was determined using the sequencing strategy shown in  FIG. 1 . The complete sequence was shown to be 1084 bases long and included a 335-base long 5′ proximal end sequence, a coding region for the entire native  Der f  I protein of 223 amino acids with a derived molecular weight of 25,191 and an 80-base long 3′ noncoding region ( FIG. 2 ). The assignment of the threonine residue at position 1 as the NH 2 -terminal amino acid of  Der f  I was based on data obtained by NH 2 -terminal amino acid sequencing of the native protein and the predicted amino acid sequence of recombinant  Der p  I (Chua, K. Y. et al.  J. Exit. Med.,  167:175-182 (1988)). The predicted amino acid sequence of the  Der f  I cDNA in the NH 2 -terminal region matched completely with that determined at the protein level ( FIG. 2 ).  
      The complete mature protein is coded by a single open reading frame terminating at the TGA stop codon at nucleotide position 1007-1009. The first ATG codon at nucleotide position 42-44 is presumed to be the translation initiation site since the subsequent sequence codes for a typical signal peptide sequence.  
      Amino Acid Sequence Analysis  
      The amino acid sequence predicted by nucleotide analysis is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in the composite alignment of the amino acid sequence of mature  Der p  I and  Der f  I ( FIG. 3 ), high homology was observed between the two proteins. Sequence homology analysis revealed that the  Der f  I protein showed 81% homology with the  Der p  I protein as predicted by previous conventional amino acid sequencing. In particular, the residues making up the active site of  Der p  I, based on those determined for papain, actinidin, cathepsin H, and cathepsin B, are also conserved in the  Der f  I protein. The residues are glutamine (residue 29), glycine, serine and cysteine (residues 33-35), histidine (residue 171) and asparagine, serine and tryptophan (residues 191-193) where the numbering refers to  Der f  I. The predicted mature  Der f  I amino acid sequence contains a potential N-glycosylation site (Asn-Thr-Ser) at position 53-55 which is also present as Asn-Gln-Ser at the equivalent position in  Der p  I.  
      Analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence of the entire  Der f  I cDNA insert has shown that, as for other cysteine proteases ( FIG. 4 ), the  Der f  I protein has pre- and proform intermediates. As previously mentioned, the methionine residue at position −98 is presumed to be the initiation methionine. This assumption is based on the fact that firstly, the 5′ proximal end sequence from residues −98 to −81 is composed predominantly of hydrophobic amino acid residues (72%), which is the characteristic feature of signal peptides (Von Heijne, G.,  EMBO J.,  3:2315-2323 (1984)). Secondly, the lengths of the presumptive pre-(18 amino acid residues) and pro-peptides (80 residues) are similar to those for other cysteine proteases ( FIG. 4 ). Most cysteine proteases examined have about 120 preproenzyme residues (of which an average of 19 residues form the signal peptide) with cathepsin B the smallest with 80 (Ishidoh, K. et al.,  FEBS Letters,  226:32-37 (1987)).  Der f  I falls within this range with a total of 98 preproenzyme residues.  
      By following the method for predicting signal-sequence cleavage sites outlined in Von Heijne, it is proposed that cleavage from the pre- Der f  I sequence for proenzyme formation occurs at the signal peptidase cleavage site lying between Ala (−81) and Arg (−80) (Von Heijne, G.,  Eur. J. Biochem.,  133:17-21 (1988) and  J. Mol. Biol.,  184:99-105 (1985)). Thus, the sequence from residues −98 to −81 codes for the leader peptide while the proenzyme moiety of  Der f  I begins at residue Arg (−80) and ends at residue Glu (−1).  
     Example 2  
      Isolation and Characterization of cDNA Coding for  Der f  II  
      Materials and Methods  
      Amino Acid Sequence Analysis  
      Preparation of λgt11  D. farinae  cDNA Ligations  
      D. farinae was purchased from Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Parkville, Australia, and used to prepare mRNA (polyadenylated RNA) as described (Stewart, G. A. and W. R. Thomas,  Int. Arch. Allergy Appl Immunol.,  83:384-389 (1987)). The mRNA was suspended at approximately 0.5 μg/μl and 5 μg used to prepare cDNA by the RNase H method. (Gubler, U. and Hoffman, B. J.,  Gene.  25:263-269 (1983)) using a kit (Amersham International, Bucks). EcoRI linkers (Amersham, GGAATTCC) were attached according to the method described by Huynh et al., Constructing and screening cDNA libraries in gt10 and gt11, In: Glover, DNA Cloning vol. A practical approach pp. 47-78 IRL Press, Oxford (1985)). The DNA was then digested with EcoRI and recovered from an agarose gel purification by electrophoresis into a DEAE membrane (Schleicher and Schuell, Dass 1, FRG, NA-45) according to protocol 6.24 of Sambrook et al., (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1989)), except 0.5M arginine base was used for elution. The cDNA was then ligated in λgt10 and λgt11 at an arms to insert ratio of 2:1. Some was packaged for plaque libraries and an aliquot retained for isolating sequences by polymerase chain reaction as described below.  
      Isolation of  Der f  II cDNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction  
      To isolate  Der f  II cDNA, an oligonucleotide primer based on the N-terminal sequence of  Der p  II was made because their amino acid residues are identical in these regions (Heymann, P. W. et al.,  J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.,  83:1055-1087 (1989)). The primer GGATCCGATCAACTCGATGC-3′ was used. The first GGATCC encodes a BamH1 site and the following sequence GAT . . . encodes the first 4 residues of  Der p  II. For the other primer the λgt11 TTGACACCAGACCAACTGGTAATG-3′ reverse primer flanking the EcoRI cloning site was used (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). The  Der p  II primer was designed to have approximately 50-60% G-C and to end on the first or second, rather than the third, base of a codon (Gould, S. J. et al.,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,  86:1934-1938 (1989); Summer, R. and D. Tautz,  Nucleic Acid Res.,  17:6749 (1989)).  
      The PCR reactions were carried out in a final reaction volume of 25 μl containing 67mM Tris-HCL (pH8.8 at 25° C.), 16.6 mM (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , 40 μM dNTPs, 5 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 6 μM EDTA, 0.2 mg/ml gelatin, 2 mM MgCl 2 , 10 pmoles of each primer and 2 units of Taq polymerase. Approximately 0.001 μg of target DNA was added and the contents of the tube were mixed and overlayed with paraffin oil. The tubes were initially denatured at 95° C. for 6 minutes, then annealed at 55° C. for 1 minute and extended at 72° C. for 2 minutes. Thereafter for 38 cycles, denaturing was carried out for 30 seconds and annealing and extension as before. In the final (40th) cycle, the extension reaction was increased to 10 minutes to ensure that all amplified products were full length. The annealing temperature was deliberately set slightly lower than the Tm of the oligonucleotide primers (determined by the formula Tm-69.3+0.41(G+C%)−650/oligo length) to allow for mismatches in the N-terminal primer.  
      5 μl of the reaction was then checked for amplified bands on a 1% agarose gel. The remainder of the reaction mixture was extracted with chloroform to remove all of the paraffin oil and ethanol precipitated prior to purification of the amplified product on a low melting point agarose gel (Bio-Rad, Richmond, Calif.).  
      Subcloning of PCR Product  
      The ends of the purified PCR product were filled in a reaction containing 10 mM Tris HCl, 10 mM MgCl 2 , 50 mM NaCl, 0.025 mM dNTP and 1 μl of Klenow enzyme in a final volume of 100 μl. The reaction was carried out at 37° C. for 15 minutes and heat inactivated at 70° C. for 10 minutes. The mixture was Leder phenol extracted before ethanol precipitation. The resulting blunt ended DNA was ligated into M13mp18 digested with Sma I in a reaction containing 0.5M ATP, 1× ligase buffer and 1 unit of T 4  ligase at 15° C. for 24 hrs and transformed into  E. coli  TG1 made competent by the CaCl 2  method. The transformed cells were plated out as a lawn on L+G plates and grown overnight at 37° C.  
      Preparation of Single-Stranded DNA Template for Sequencing  
      Isolated white plaques were picked using an orange stick into 2.5 ml of an overnight culture of TG1 cells diluted 1 in 100 in 2× TY broth, and grown at 37° C. for 6 hours. The cultures were pelleted and the supernatant removed to a fresh tube. To a 1 ml aliquot of this supernatant 270 μl of 20% polyethylene glycol, 2.5M NaCl was added and the tube was vortexed before allowing it to stand at RT for 15 minutes. This was then spun down again and all traces of the supernatant were removed from the tube. The pellet was then resuspended in 100 μl of 1× TE buffer. At least 2 phenol:TE extractions were done, followed by 1 Leder phenol extraction and a CHCL 3  extraction. The DNA was precipitated in ethanol and resuspended in a final volume of 20 μl of TE buffer.  
      DNA Analysis  
      DNA sequencing was performed with the dideoxynucleotide chain termination (Sanger, F. et al.,  Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci.,  74:5463-5467 (1977)) using DNA produced from M13 derived vectors mp18 and mp19 in  E. coli  TG1 and T4 DNA polymerase (Sequenase version 2.0, USB Corp., Cleveland, Ohio; Restriction endonucleases were from Toyobo, (Osaka, Japan). All general procedures were by standard techniques (Sambrook, J. et al., A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1989)). The sequence analysis was performed using the Mac Vector Software (IBI, New Haven, Conn.).  
      Results  
       D. farinae  cDNA ligated in λgt11 was used to amplify a sequence using an oligonucleotide primer with homology to nucleotides coding for the 4 N terminal residues of  Der p  II and a reverse primer for the λgt11 sequence flanking the coding site. Two major bands of about 500 bp and 300 bp were obtained when the product was gel electrophoresed. These were ligated into M13 mp18 and a number of clones containing the 500 bp fragment were analyzed by DNA sequencing. Three clones produced sequence data from the N-terminal primer end and one from the other orientation. Where the sequence data from the two directions overlapped, a complete match was found. One of the clones read from the N-terminal primer, contained a one-base deletion which shifted the reading frome. It was deduced to be a copying error, as the translated sequence from the other two clones matched the protein sequence for the first 20 amino acid residues of the allergen.  
      The sequence of the clones showing consensus and producing a correct reading frame is shown in  FIG. 6 , along with the inferred amino acid sequence. It coded for a 129 residue protein with no N-glycosylation site and a calculated molecular weight of 14,021 kD. No homology was found when compared to other proteins on the GenBank data base (61.0 release). It did, however, show 88% amino acid residue homology with  Der p  II shown in the alignment in  FIG. 9 . Seven out of the 16 changes were conservative. The conserved residues also include all the cysteines present at positions 8, 21, 27, 73, 78 and119. There was also considerable nucleotide homology, although the restriction enzymes map generated from the sequence data for commonly used enzymes is different from  Der p  II ( FIG. 8 ). The hydrophobicity plots of the translated sequence of  Der f  II and  Der p  II shown in  FIG. 10  are almost identical.  
      Equivalents  
      Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims.