Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen 1 (Der p 1)

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen 1 (Der p 1) is a 25 kDa glycoprotein and a major allergen from the European house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus [2, 3]. It is a papain-like cysteine protease belonging to the C1 family and is primarily concentrated in mite fecal pellets, which are easily aerosolized and inhaled [13, 15]. The biological function of Der p 1 involves potent proteolytic activity that disrupts the airway epithelial barrier by cleaving tight junction proteins such as occludin and claudin-1, thereby facilitating allergen penetration and sensitization [2, 5]. Additionally, it can directly modulate the immune response by cleaving cell surface receptors like CD23 and CD25, which biases the immune system toward a Th2-mediated allergic response and enhances IgE production [4, 6]. Clinically, Der p 1 is a primary target for allergen immunotherapy (AIT), with standardized extracts like Acarizax and Odactra used to induce long-term immune tolerance in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma [5, 12]. Research is also focused on developing small-molecule cysteine protease inhibitors as a novel therapeutic strategy to block the allergen's pro-inflammatory effects at the source [1].

Other names

Group 1 house dust mite allergenCysteine protease Der p 1Major allergen Der p 1Der p IDermatophagoides pteronyssinus 1

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) induces immunological tolerance by shifting the immune response from Th2 to Th1/Treg and promoting the production of blocking IgG4 antibodies [5, 12]. Experimental small-molecule inhibitors target the cysteine protease active site to prevent epithelial barrier disruption and subsequent inflammatory signaling [1].