Blomia tropicalis allergen 5 (Blo t 5) T‐cell epitopes and their ability to suppress the allergic immune response

Summary Blomia tropicalis is the major asthma allergen in the tropics comparable to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. However, little is known about the B. tropicalis epitopes recognized by T cells. Our aim was to identify the T‐cell epitopes in the major B. tropicalis allergen, Blo t 5, and investigate the potential of the corresponding peptides to inhibit the allergic inflammatory lung response. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with plasmid DNA encoding Blo t 5 and T‐cell epitopes identified using the interferon‐γ ELISPOT assay with 15‐mer overlapping peptides. C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with bone‐marrow‐derived dendritic cells (BMDC) pulsed with Blo t 5 allergen followed by intranasal Blo t 5 challenge. Two H‐2b restricted epitopes (Bt576–90 and Bt5106–115) were recognized by CD4 T cells specific for Blo t 5, but no CD8 epitopes were identified. In mice sensitized with Blo t 5‐pulsed BMDC and challenged with intranasal Blo t 5 Bt576–90 and Bt5106–115, peptide‐specific CD4 T cells were found to secrete the T helper type 2 cytokines interleukin‐5 and interleukin‐13. Intradermal administration of synthetic peptides encoding the identified T‐cell epitopes suppressed allergic airway inflammation to further allergen challenges. Hence, we have identified novel CD4 T‐cell epitopes specific for Blo t 5 and demonstrated that these peptides could be employed therapeutically to suppress the T‐cell response in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. We have identified peptides of the major allergen of Blomia tropicalis, Blo t 5, recognized by CD4 T cells following skin tattoo. Blo t 5 induces a T helper type 2 immune response in C57BL/6 mice that is inhibited by these peptides. The peptides my have accomplished this by inducing CD4 T‐cell anergy.