Equ c 15k Allergen Purification for Horse Allergy Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic tests for horse allergy, particularly in non-laboratory settings, face challenges due to insufficient sensitivity caused by suboptimal assay conditions and the limited potency of natural allergen extracts, which can lead to incomplete detection of specific IgE antibodies.
Innovation Solution
The identification and purification of a novel horse allergen, Equ c 15k, a heterodimeric secretoglobin protein, which can be used as a reagent to enhance diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in tests, and potentially in immunotherapy, either in its natural or modified form to reduce anaphylactic reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If natural allergen extracts are used in diagnostic tests, then the tests can be performed with simpler reagents, but the diagnostic sensitivity is insufficient due to limited potency of the extracts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and identifies specific allergenic proteins (Equ c 1, Equ c 2, Equ c 3, Equ c 4/5) from the complex natural horse dander extract. By isolating these individual allergen components, the patent enables their use as purified reagents in diagnostic tests, thereby improving diagnostic sensitivity while maintaining practical usability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the allergen reagents by purifying them to obtain concentrated forms of specific allergenic proteins. This purification process increases the potency and sensitivity of the diagnostic test reagents compared to their natural extract form.
2Loss of information
If crude extracts containing multiple proteins are used, then the preparation is simpler, but the identification and characterization of allergenic proteins is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex mixture of proteins in horse dander extract into individual allergenic protein components (Equ c 1, Equ c 2, Equ c 3, Equ c 4/5). This segmentation allows for complete identification and characterization of each allergen's properties, structure, and function, which would be impossible in the crude extract form.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and isolates specific allergenic proteins from the crude horse dander extract through purification processes. This extraction enables detailed characterization of each allergen while preserving the simplicity of starting from a natural extract source.
3Reliability
If immunotherapy uses crude allergen extracts, then the treatment can be administered more simply, but the efficacy may be reduced due to unknown allergen composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the composition parameters of immunotherapy preparations by using purified and characterized allergenic proteins instead of crude extracts. This ensures known and controlled allergen content, improving the reliability and efficacy of immunotherapy while maintaining administrative simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing in vitro diagnosis of type 1 allergy, comprises contacting an immunoglobulin-containing body fluid sample from a patient suspected of having Type 1 allergy with an immobilized horse allergen immobilized on a solid support, and detecting the presence, in the sample, of IgE antibodies specifically binding to the horse allergen, wherein the presence of such IgE antibodies specifically binding to the horse allergen is indicative of Type 1 allergy. A method for treatment of Type 1 allergy comprises administering to an individual susceptible to such treatment, the horse allergen, or a form of the horse allergen that is modified to abrogate or attenuate its IgE binding response. The horse allergen may be produced via a vector and a host cell comprising the vector.