0104 is needed to induce significant PAR-4 expression. As it is unlikely to accumulate such a high concentration of the allergens in the body, upregulated PAR-1 and PAR-4 expression should not play an important role in cockroach allergy. In contrast, Per a 1.0101-induced upregulation of expression of PAR-2 may be involved in cockroach allergy as only 100 ng/ml

of Per a 1.0101 is required to induce significant increase in PAR-2 expression. Activation of PAR-2 has been recognized to play an important role in allergic diseases. Patients with asthma express an increased amount of PAR-2 on respiratory epithelial cells [20], and PAR-2 activation in human airways is associated with contraction selleck chemicals llc learn more of human airways and contributes to the hyperplasia and hyper-responsiveness evident in the asthmatic airway [21]. Furthermore, our results indicate that Per a 1.0101 and Per a 1.0104 are not proteases. Therefore, their actions on PARs should not depend on enzymatic activity. Once again like rPer a 7, we observed the expression of certain mRNAs of PARs, but not corresponding proteins in P815 cells upon rPer a 1.0101 and rPer a 1.0104 challenge. This dissociation

between gene and protein expression has been reported previously [22] and there are many complicated and varied post-transcriptional mechanisms involved in turning mRNA into protein [23], which may help to explain our earlier observations. Like Per a 7, both rPer a 1.0101 and rPer a 1.0104 can induce secretion of Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 from P815 cells. As overexpression of IL-4 is predominantly found in the airways of asthmatics [24] and IL-4 is the key cytokine in development of Th2 cell responses [25], IL-13, which shares a receptor component with IL-4, is a critical cytokine for allergen-induced asthma [26], and the findings that rPer a 1.0101 and rPer a 1.0104 can induce IL-4

and during IL-13 release from mast cells may be of importance for cockroach allergy. As much lower concentrations of rPer a 1.0101 and rPer a1.0104 are required to induce IL-4 and IL-13 release than to upregulate expression of PARs, cytokine release may be an earlier event than altered expression of PAR expression when mast cells are challenged by Per a 1.01 allergens. In conclusion, we have demonstrated for the first time that American cockroach allergens Per a 1.0101 and Per a1.0104 have no enzymatic activity, but can modulate the expression of PARs in P815 cells. They can also provoke Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 secretion from the mast cells. Our results suggest that Per a 1.0101 and Per a1.0104 are likely to contribute to the development of cockroach-related allergic disease through modulation of mast cell behaviour. This project was sponsored by the grants from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, Hong Kong, China (No. C0200001); the Major State Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No.