Formulation and Characterization of Orally Dissolving Thin Films Containing the German Cockroach Blatella germanica (Bla g 2) Allergen

cockroach;Bla g 2;immunotherapy;thin film;drug delivery;ELISA;Materials Science & Engineering

Chen, QingqingMao, Hai-Quan ;

Johns Hopkins University

关键词: cockroach;    Bla g 2;    immunotherapy;    thin film;    drug delivery;    ELISA;    Materials Science & Engineering;   

Others  :  https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/38077/CHEN-THESIS-2014.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: JOHNS HOPKINS DSpace Repository

【 摘 要 】

Allergy and asthma are the most common diseases associated with cockroach infestation of houses in the United States and other parts of the world. Allergy to cockroach has been recognized as a significant health problem world-wide, and is often coupled with urban development and inner-city environments. In the United States the prevalence of cockroach allergy ranges from 17% to 41% in both adults and children, and allergic diseases constitute the most common chronic diseases of childhood and represent approximately 25% of children;;s sick visits to pediatricians.The principal domestic cockroach species are Blattella germanica (German cockroach) and Periplaneta americana (American cockroach). The German cockroach is the most common species associated with allergies in the US and Europe, and the American cockroach is found more commonly in South America and some Asian countries. Both species produce several potent allergens, including Bla g 2, an inactive aspartic proteinase; Bla g 4, a calycin, Bla g 5, a glutathione-S-transferase, and the group 1 cross-reactive allergens Bla g 1 and Per a 1. Of these, Bla g 2 appears to be an especially potent allergen, which elicits IgE responses at exposure levels that are hundreds fold lower than other cockroach allergens.Currently subcutaneous injection immunotherapy is the only potentially curative treatment available for allergy, but has clear disadvantages and is not acceptable to many children. Also treatment by injection can carry great risks such as anaphylactic shock, especially for food allergies. Our research group is actively involved in the development of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). In this work, a formulation of orally dissolving thin film has been developed and characterized. The film allows for higher and more effective dosing, and its mucoadhesiveness prolongs the effect of the allergen and leads to enhanced immunotherapy for asthma.It is found in this work that the formulation developed for the treatment of German cockroach allergy incorporates a significant amount of the Bla g 2 allergen. Its potency and stability have been characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and other pharmacological properties are evaluated by spectroscopic methods. This SLIT methodology has the potential to change the face of immunotherapy for both food and inhalant allergies in adults and children. This essay will provide an overview of the development and characterization of Bla g 2 SLIT films.