These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.
Pubmed for Handhelds
PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS
Search MEDLINE/PubMed
Title: Molecular, structural, and immunologic relationships between different families of recombinant calcium-binding pollen allergens. Author: Tinghino R, Twardosz A, Barletta B, Puggioni EM, Iacovacci P, Butteroni C, Afferni C, Mari A, Hayek B, Di Felice G, Focke M, Westritschnig K, Valenta R, Pini C. Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol; 2002 Feb; 109(2):314-20. PubMed ID: 11842303. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Calcium-binding plant allergens can be grouped in different families according to the number of calcium-binding domains (EF hands). OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify pollens containing crossreactive calcium-binding allergens and to investigate structural and immunologic similarities of members belonging to different families of calcium-binding allergens. METHODS: By means of multiple sequence alignment and molecular modeling, we searched for structural similarities among pollen allergens with 2 (Phl p 7, timothy grass; Aln g 4, alder), 3 (Bet v 3, birch) and 4 EF hands (Jun o 4, prickly juniper). Purified recombinant Aln g 4 and Jun o 4 were used to determine the prevalence of IgE recognition in 210 patients sensitized to different pollens and to search, by means of ELISA competition, for the presence of cross-reactive epitopes in pollens from 16 unrelated plant species. IgE cross-reactivity among the allergen families was studied with purified rPhl p 7, rAln g 4, rBet v 3, and rJun o 4 and 2 synthetic peptides comprising the N-terminal and C-terminal EF hands of Phl p 7 by means of ELISA competition. RESULTS: Structural similarities were found by using molecular modeling among the allergens with 2, 3, and 4 EF hands. Pollens from 16 unrelated plants contained Aln g 4- and Jun o 4-related epitopes. Twenty-two percent of the patients with multiple pollen sensitization reacted to at least one of the calcium-binding allergens. A hierarchy of IgE cross-reactivity (rPhl p7 > rAln g 4 > rJun o 4 > rBet v 3) could be established that identified rPhl p 7 as the EF-hand allergen containing most IgE epitopes in the population studied. CONCLUSION: The demonstration that members of different families of calcium-binding plant allergens share similarities suggests that it may be possible to use representative molecules for the diagnosis and therapy of allergies to EF-hand allergens.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]