Identification of cross-reactive and genuine Parietaria judaica pollen allergens.
J Allergy Clin Immunol
; 111(5): 974-9, 2003 May.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12743560
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The weed Parietaria judaica is one of the most important pollen allergen sources in the Mediterranean area.OBJECTIVE:
We sought to identify P judaica pollen allergen, which might be used to serologically distinguish genuine Parietaria sensitization and cross-reactivity to allergens from other weed species (eg, mugwort and ragweed).METHODS:
The allergen profile of P judaica IgE-reactive sera from weed pollen-sensitized allergic individuals from the Mediterranean region (n = 36) with high Parietaria pollen exposure and from weed pollen-allergic patients with little or no Parietaria exposure (Austria, n = 42; Scandinavia, n = 8; United States, n = 19) was established by CAP FEIA measurements and by IgE immunoblot inhibition experiments with recombinant allergens.RESULTS:
The majority (83%) of the Mediterranean weed pollen-allergic patients mounted high IgE antibody levels (mean specific IgE, 20.89 kUA/L) against recombinant (r) Par j 2, whereas only 7% of the non-Mediterranean weed-allergic patients showed low IgE reactivity to rPar j 2 (mean specific IgE, 1.03 kUA/L). The cytoskeletal protein profilin and a 2-EF-hand calcium-binding allergen were identified as cross-reactive Parietaria allergens, which were recognized preferentially by Parietaria -positive, non-Mediterranean weed pollen-allergic patients.CONCLUSION:
rPar j 2 might be used as a diagnostic marker allergen to identify weed pollen-allergic patients who are genuinely sensitized against Parietaria pollen and thus would be particularly suited for specific immunotherapy with Parietaria pollen extract.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pollen
/
Allergens
/
Parietaria
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
J Allergy Clin Immunol
Year:
2003
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Austria