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Performance of the halogen immunoassay to assess airborne mouse allergen-containing particles in a laboratory animal facility

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 24, pages 3–8 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Airborne mouse allergen is a risk factor for respiratory diseases. Conventional assessment techniques provide mass-based exposure estimates that may not capture completely the inhalation risk of airborne allergen particles. In contrast to mass-based estimates, the halogen immunoassay (HIA) combines immunoblotting and microscopy to directly assess allergen-containing particles. We evaluated the HIA for the assessment of airborne mouse allergen and compared the results to the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Particulate matter (PM)10 and PM2.5 samples (30 min, 4 l/m) were collected in a mouse facility before, during, and after disturbance of soiled bedding. Concentrations of Mus m 1-positive particles (haloed particles (HPs)) and intensities of the haloes were determined with the HIA. Although HPs/m3 were positively correlated with mass concentration (statistically significant only with Mus m 1 concentration on PM10), replicates of mass concentration showed higher variability than HPs/m3. After disturbance, most of the HPs were in the PM2.5 fraction. Mean haloes intensities were similar before, during, and after disturbance. The HIA was able to measure allergen-containing particles with less variability than the ELISA, detected the shift of HPs to smaller particles after disturbance, and may suggests similar halo intensity by particles detected during and after disturbance. Our findings suggest that the HIA can be used to assess indoor concentrations of mouse allergen particles and their morphological characteristics.

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Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Dr. Alan Scot and his graduate students of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Immunology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health for granting access to the microscope facility. Also, we would like to acknowledge Dr. Euan Tovey, Research Leader at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research (Sidney, Australia), for his generosity in providing the adhesive to fix the membranes, and the Dr. Matsui's staff for performing the ELISA analysis and allowing access to the mouse facility. This research was supported by NIESH (T32 ES O7141-28, PO1 ES 018176, P50 ES 015903), U.S. EPA (RD8345101).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Félix E Rivera-Mariani, Elizabeth C Matsui & Patrick N Breysse

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Elizabeth C Matsui

  3. Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Elizabeth C Matsui

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  1. Félix E Rivera-Mariani
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Correspondence to Félix E Rivera-Mariani.

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Rivera-Mariani, F., Matsui, E. & Breysse, P. Performance of the halogen immunoassay to assess airborne mouse allergen-containing particles in a laboratory animal facility. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 24, 3–8 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.76

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