Biochemical and immunochemical characterization of hop-hornbeam (Ostrya Carpinifolia Scop.) pollen

Stefania Patriarca1, Susanna Voltolini2, Riccardo Navone1, Stefania Martini1, Carlo Montanari3, A. Negrini2, Elisabetta Cosulich1,4
1Centro Biotecnologie Avanzate, Genova, Italy
2Azienda Ospedaliera San Martino, Genova, Italy
3Dip.per lo studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse Corso Europa, Genova
4Dipartimento di Biochimica, Pavia, Italy

Tóm tắt

In the last few years Ostrya carpinifolia pollen is consideredas an important cause of respiratoryallergy in Mediterranean areas. The concentration ofthe pollen was measured over a period of fifteen yearsfrom 1981 to 1996 in an area around Genoa; the resultsof this study have clearly indicated an increasingtrend that correlate with persons sensitization. In this study we sought to define the immunochemical andbiochemical properties of hop-hornbean pollen. Soluble proteins extracted from Ostryacarpinifolia pollen and from the taxonomicallyrelated species Corylus Avellana, were analyzedby polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), byhorizontal isoelectrofocusing (IEF) and by twodimensions electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). Allergenicproteins were identified with sera of sensibilizedpatients and cross-reactivity was evaluated byimmunoblotting techniques. The electrophoreticanalysis showed a partial identity between theproteins from Ostrya and Corylus extracts. The immunoblotting assay, developed withhuman IgE from subjects allergic to hop-hornbeampollen, displayed the major IgE reactivity for acomponent with a molecular weight of 17 kDa expressedin both Ostrya and Corylus extracts. This reactivity is consistent with the presence ofBet v 1 that is described as the major pollen allergenin the Betulaceae and Corylaceae families. Sera fromsubjects allergic to Ostrya were then preadsorbed with recombinant Bet v 1 immobilized in the Pharmacia CAP System; a significant reduction ofthe IgE binding activity was observed after thetreatment. We therefore suggest that Bet v 1 couldbe one of the allergenic proteins present in theOstrya pollen possibly being responsible forcross-reactivity with other members of taxonomicallyrelated families.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Breiteneder H., Pettemburger K., Bito A., Valenta R., Kraft D., Rumpold H., Scheiner O. and Breitembach M.: 1989, The gene coding for the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 is highly homolgous to a pea desease resistence response gene. EMBO J 8, 1935-1938. Charpin J. and Surinyach R. (eds.): 1974, Atlas of European Allergenic Pollens. Sandoz. Ferreira F., Hoffmann-Sommergruber K., Breiteneder H. et al.: 1993, Purification and characterization of recombinant Bet v 1 the major birch pollen allergen. Immunological equivalence to natural Bet v 1. J Biol Chem 268, 19574-19580. Florvaag E., Holen E., Vick H. and Elsayed S.: 1988, Comparative studies on tree pollen allergens. Characterization of the birch (Betula Verrucosa) and hazel (Corylus Avellanapollen extracts by horizontal 2D-SDS-PAGE combined with electrophoretic transfer and IgE immunoautoradiography. Annals of Allergy 61, 392-400. Fuchs T., Spitzauer S., Vente C., Hevler J., Kapiotis S., Rumpold H., Kraft D. and Valenta R.: 1997, Natural latex, grass pollen, and weed pollen share IgE epitopes. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 100(3), 356-364. Niederberger V., Pauli G., Gronlund H., Froschl R., Rumpold H., Kraft D., Valenta R. and Spitzauer S.: 1998, Recombinant birch pollen allergens (rBet v 1 and rBet v 2) contain most of the IgE epitopes present in birch, alder, hornbeam, hazel and oak pollen: A quantitative IgE inhibition study with sera from different populations. J of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 102, 579-591. Spieksma F.T.M., Charpin H., Nolard N. and Stix E.: 1980, City spore concentration in the European Economic Community (EEC). Clin Allergy 10, 319-329. Voltolini S., Minale P., Troise C., Stellitano E., Arobba D. and Negrini A.C.: 1996, Importanza del polline di Ostrya carpinifoliacome causa di allergopatie respiratorie. Abstracts VII Congresso Nazionale Associazione Italiana Aerobiologia, Firenze. Westermeier R.: 1997 Electrophoresis in Practice, 2nd edn. WCH, a Wiley company.