Insect Cell-Expressed Major Ragweed Allergen Amb a 1.01 Exhibits Similar Allergenic Properties to Its Natural Counterpart from Common Ragweed Pollen.

Common ragweed pollen allergy has become a health burden worldwide. One of the major allergens in ragweed allergy is Amb a 1, which is responsible for over 90% of the IgE response in ragweed-allergic patients. The major allergen isoform Amb a 1.01 is the most allergenic isoform in ragweed pollen. So far, no recombinant Amb a 1.01 with similar allergenic properties to its natural counterpart (nAmb a 1.01) has been produced. Hence, this study aimed to produce a recombinant Amb a 1.01 with similar properties to the natural isoform for improved ragweed allergy management. Amb a 1.01 was expressed in insect cells using a codon-optimized DNA construct with a removable N-terminal His-Tag (rAmb a 1.01). The recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography and physicochemically characterized. The rAmb a 1.01 was compared to nAmb a 1.01 in terms of the IgE binding (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblot) and allergenic activity (mediator release assay) in well-characterized ragweed-allergic patients. The rAmb a 1.01 exhibited similar IgE reactivity to nAmb a 1.01 in different IgE-binding assays (i.e., IgE immunoblot, ELISA, quantitative ImmunoCAP inhibition measurements). Furthermore, the rAmb a 1.01 showed comparable dose-dependent allergenic activity to nAmb a 1.01 regarding basophil activation. Overall, the results showed the successful expression of an rAmb a 1.01 with comparable characteristics to the corresponding natural isoform. Our findings provide the basis for an improvement in ragweed allergy research, diagnosis, and immunotherapy.

Non-Specific Lipid Transfer Protein Amb a 6 Is a Source-Specific Important Allergenic Molecule in Ragweed Pollen.

Pollen from common ragweed is an important allergen source worldwide and especially in western and southern Romania. More than 100 million patients suffer from symptoms of respiratory allergy (e.g., rhinitis, asthma) to ragweed pollen. Among the eleven characterized allergens, Amb a 6 is a non-specific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP). nsLTPs are structurally stable proteins in pollen and food from different unrelated plants capable of inducing severe reactions. The goal of this study was to produce Amb a 6 as a recombinant and structurally folded protein (rAmb a 6) and to characterize its physicochemical and immunological features. rAmb a 6 was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cells as a secreted protein and characterized by mass spectrometry and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy regarding molecular mass and fold, respectively. The IgE-binding frequency towards the purified protein was evaluated using sera from 150 clinically well-characterized ragweed-allergic patients. The allergenic activities of rAmb a 6 and the nsLTP from the weed Parietaria judaica (Par j 2) were evaluated in basophil activation assays. rAmb a 6-specific IgE reactivity was associated with clinical features. Pure rAmb a 6 was obtained by insect cell expression. Its deduced molecular weight corresponded to that determined by mass spectrometry (i.e., 10,963 Da). rAmb a 6 formed oligomers as determined by SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions. According to multiple sequence comparisons, Amb a 6 was a distinct nsLTP with less than 40% sequence identity to currently known plant nsLTP allergens, except for nsLTP from Helianthus (i.e., 52%). rAmb a 6 is an important ragweed allergen recognized by 30% of ragweed pollen allergic patients. For certain patients, rAmb a 6-specific IgE levels were higher than those specific for the major ragweed allergen Amb a 1 and analysis also showed a higher allergenic activity in the basophil activation test. rAmb a 6-positive patients suffered mainly from respiratory symptoms. The assumption that Amb a 6 is a source-specific ragweed allergen is supported by the finding that none of the patients showing rAmb a 6-induced basophil activation reacted with Par j 2 and only one rAmb a 6-sensitized patient had a history of plant food allergy. Immunization of rabbits with rAmb a 6 induced IgG antibodies which strongly inhibited IgE binding to rAmb a 6. Our results demonstrate that Amb a 6 is an important source-specific ragweed pollen allergen that should be considered for diagnosis and allergen-specific immunotherapy of ragweed pollen allergy.

Relationship between IgE Levels Specific for Ragweed Pollen Extract, Amb a 1 and Cross-Reactive Allergen Molecules.

Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) pollen is a major endemic allergen source responsible for severe allergic manifestations in IgE-sensitized allergic patients. It contains the major allergen Amb a 1 and cross-reactive allergen molecules, such as the cytoskeletal protein profilin, Amb a 8 and calcium-binding allergens Amb a 9 and Amb a 10. To assess the importance of Amb a 1, profilin and calcium-binding allergen, the IgE reactivity profiles of clinically well-characterized 150 ragweed pollen-allergic patients were analysed regarding specific IgE levels for Amb a 1 and cross-reactive allergen molecules by quantitative ImmunoCAP measurements, IgE ELISA and by basophil activation experiments. By quantifying allergen-specific IgE levels we found that Amb a 1-specific IgE levels accounted for more than 50% of ragweed pollen-specific IgE in the majority of ragweed pollen-allergic patients. However, approximately 20% of patients were sensitized to profilin and the calcium-binding allergens, Amb a 9 and Amb a 10, respectively. As shown by IgE inhibition experiments, Amb a 8 showed extensive cross-reactivity with profilins from birch (Bet v 2), timothy grass (Phl p 12) and mugwort pollen (Art v 4) and was identified as a highly allergenic molecule by basophil activation testing. Our study indicates that molecular diagnosis performed by the quantification of specific IgE to Amb a 1, Amb a 8, Amb a 9 and Amb a 10 is useful to diagnose genuine sensitization to ragweed pollen and to identify patients who are sensitized to highly cross-reactive allergen molecules present in pollen from unrelated plants, in order to enable precision medicine-based approaches for the treatment and prevention of pollen allergy in areas with complex pollen sensitization.

Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 requires antibodies against conformational receptor-binding domain epitopes.

BACKGROUND: The determinants of successful humoral immune response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are of critical importance for the design of effective vaccines and the evaluation of the degree of protective immunity conferred by exposure to the virus. As novel variants emerge, understanding their likelihood of suppression by population antibody repertoires has become increasingly important. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 polyclonal antibody response in a large population of clinically well-characterized patients after mild and severe COVID-19 using a panel of microarrayed structurally folded and unfolded SARS-CoV-2 proteins, as well as sequential peptides, spanning the surface spike protein (S) and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the virus. RESULTS: S- and RBD-specific antibody responses were dominated by immunoglobulin G (IgG), mainly IgG1 , and directed against structurally folded S and RBD and three distinct peptide epitopes in S2. The virus neutralization activity of patients´ sera was highly correlated with IgG antibodies specific for conformational but not sequential RBD epitopes and their ability to prevent RBD binding to its human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Twenty percent of patients selectively lacked RBD-specific IgG. Only immunization with folded, but not with unfolded RBD, induced antibodies against conformational epitopes with high virus-neutralizing activity. Conformational RBD epitopes required for protection do not seem to be altered in the currently emerging virus variants. CONCLUSION: These results are fundamental for estimating the protective activity of antibody responses after natural infection or vaccination and for the design of vaccines, which can induce high levels of SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies conferring sterilizing immunity.

Resistance of parvalbumin to gastrointestinal digestion is required for profound and long-lasting prophylactic oral tolerance.

BACKGROUND: Early introduction of food allergens into children's diet is considered as a strategy for the prevention of food allergy. The major fish allergen parvalbumin exhibits high stability against gastrointestinal digestion. We investigated whether resistance of carp parvalbumin to digestion affects oral tolerance induction. METHODS: Natural Cyp c 1, nCyp c 1, and a gastrointestinal digestion-sensitive recombinant Cyp c 1 mutant, mCyp c 1, were analyzed for their ability to induce oral tolerance in a murine model. Both antigens were compared by gel filtration, circular dichroism measurement, in vitro digestion, and splenocyte proliferation assays using synthetic Cyp c 1-derived peptides. BALB/c mice were fed once with high doses of nCyp c 1 or mCyp c 1, before sensitization to nCyp c 1. Immunological tolerance was studied by measuring Cyp c 1-specific antibodies and cellular responses by ELISA, basophil activation, splenocyte proliferations, and intragastric allergen challenge. RESULTS: Wild-type and mCyp c 1 showed the same physicochemical properties and shared the same major T-cell epitope. However, mCyp c 1 was more sensitive to enzymatic digestion in vitro than nCyp c 1. A single high-dose oral administration of nCyp c 1 but not of mCyp c 1 induced long-term oral tolerance, characterized by lack of parvalbumin-specific antibody and cellular responses. Moreover, mCyp c 1-fed mice, but not nCyp c 1-fed mice developed allergic symptoms upon challenge with nCyp c 1. CONCLUSION: Sensitivity to digestion in the gastrointestinal tract influences the capacity of an allergen to induce prophylactic oral tolerance.

Rhinovirus Species-Specific Antibodies Differentially Reflect Clinical Outcomes in Health and Asthma.

Rationale: Rhinoviruses (RVs) are major triggers of common cold and acute asthma exacerbations. RV species A, B, and C may have distinct clinical impact; however, little is known regarding RV species-specific antibody responses in health and asthma.Objectives: To describe and compare total and RV species-specific antibody levels in healthy children and children with asthma, away from an acute event.Methods: Serum samples from 163 preschool children with mild to moderate asthma and 72 healthy control subjects from the multinational Predicta cohort were analyzed using the recently developed PreDicta RV antibody chip.Measurements and Main Results: RV antibody levels varied, with RV-C and RV-A being higher than RV-B in both groups. Compared with control subjects, asthma was characterized by significantly higher levels of antibodies to RV-A and RV-C, but not RV-B. RV antibody levels positively correlated with the number of common colds over the previous year in healthy children, and wheeze episodes in children with asthma. Antibody levels also positively correlated with asthma severity but not with current asthma control.Conclusions: The variable humoral response to RV species in both groups suggests a differential infectivity pattern between RV species. In healthy preschoolers, RV antibodies accumulate with colds. In asthma, RV-A and RV-C antibodies are much higher and further increase with disease severity and wheeze episodes. Higher antibody levels in asthma may be caused by a compromised innate immune response, leading to increased exposure of the adaptive immune response to the virus. Importantly, there is no apparent protection with increasing levels of antibodies.

Safety and efficacy of immunotherapy with the recombinant B-cell epitope-based grass pollen vaccine BM32.

BACKGROUND: BM32 is a grass pollen allergy vaccine based on recombinant fusion proteins consisting of nonallergenic peptides from the IgE-binding sites of the 4 major grass pollen allergens and the hepatitis B preS protein. OBJECTIVE: We sought to study the safety and clinical efficacy of immunotherapy (allergen immunotherapy) with BM32 in patients with grass pollen-induced rhinitis and controlled asthma. METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter allergen immunotherapy field study was conducted for 2 grass pollen seasons. After a baseline season, subjects (n = 181) were randomized and received 3 preseasonal injections of either placebo (n = 58) or a low dose (80 µg, n = 60) or high dose (160 µg, n = 63) of BM32 in year 1, respectively, followed by a booster injection in autumn. In the second year, all actively treated subjects received 3 preseasonal injections of the BM32 low dose, and placebo-treated subjects continued with placebo. Clinical efficacy was assessed by using combined symptom medication scores, visual analog scales, Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaires, and asthma symptom scores. Adverse events were graded according to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Allergen-specific antibodies were determined by using ELISA, ImmunoCAP, and ImmunoCAP ISAC. RESULTS: Although statistical significance regarding the primary end point was not reached, BM32-treated subjects, when compared with placebo-treated subjects, showed an improvement regarding symptom medication, visual analog scale, Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, and asthma symptom scores in both treatment years. This was accompanied by an induction of allergen-specific IgG without induction of allergen-specific IgE and a reduction in the seasonally induced increase in allergen-specific IgE levels in year 2. In the first year, more grade 2 reactions were observed in the active (n = 6) versus placebo (n = 1) groups, whereas there was almost no difference in the second year. CONCLUSIONS: Injections of BM32 induced allergen-specific IgG, improved clinical symptoms of seasonal grass pollen allergy, and were well tolerated.

Blocking antibodies induced by immunization with a hypoallergenic parvalbumin mutant reduce allergic symptoms in a mouse model of fish allergy.

BACKGROUND: Fish is a frequent elicitor of severe IgE-mediated allergic reactions. Beside avoidance, there is currently no allergen-specific therapy available. Hypoallergenic variants of the major fish allergen, parvalbumin, for specific immunotherapy based on mutation of the 2 calcium-binding sites have been developed. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to establish a mouse model of fish allergy resembling human disease and to investigate whether mouse and rabbit IgG antibodies induced by immunization with a hypoallergenic mutant of the major carp allergen protect against allergic symptoms in sensitized mice. METHODS: C3H/HeJ mice were sensitized with recombinant wildtype Cyp c 1 or carp extract by intragastric gavage. Antibody, cellular immune responses, and epitope specificity in sensitized mice were investigated by ELISA, rat basophil leukemia assay, T-cell proliferation experiments using recombinant wildtype Cyp c 1, and overlapping peptides spanning the Cyp c 1 sequence. Anti-hypoallergenic Cyp c 1 mutant mouse and rabbit sera were tested for their ability to inhibit IgE recognition of Cyp c 1, Cyp c 1-specific basophil degranulation, and Cyp c 1-induced allergic symptoms in the mouse model. RESULTS: A mouse model of fish allergy mimicking human disease regarding IgE epitope recognition and symptoms as close as possible was established. Administration of antisera generated in mice and rabbits by immunization with a hypoallergenic Cyp c 1 mutant inhibited IgE binding to Cyp c 1, Cyp c 1-induced basophil degranulation, and allergic symptoms caused by allergen challenge in sensitized mice. CONCLUSIONS: Antibodies induced by immunization with a hypoallergenic Cyp c 1 mutant protect against allergic reactions in a murine model of fish allergy.

Comparing Proteolytic Fingerprints of Antigen-Presenting Cells during Allergen Processing.

Endolysosomal processing has a critical influence on immunogenicity as well as immune polarization of protein antigens. In industrialized countries, allergies affect around 25% of the population. For the rational design of protein-based allergy therapeutics for immunotherapy, a good knowledge of T cell-reactive regions on allergens is required. Thus, we sought to analyze endolysosomal degradation patterns of inhalant allergens. Four major allergens from ragweed, birch, as well as house dust mites were produced as recombinant proteins. Endolysosomal proteases were purified by differential centrifugation from dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells, and combined with allergens for proteolytic processing. Thereafter, endolysosomal proteolysis was monitored by protein gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. We found that the overall proteolytic activity of specific endolysosomal fractions differed substantially, whereas the degradation patterns of the four model allergens obtained with the different proteases were extremely similar. Moreover, previously identified T cell epitopes were assigned to endolysosomal peptides and indeed showed a good overlap with known T cell epitopes for all four candidate allergens. Thus, we propose that the degradome assay can be used as a predictor to determine antigenic peptides as potential T cell epitopes, which will help in the rational design of protein-based allergy vaccine candidates.

Development and characterization of a recombinant, hypoallergenic, peptide-based vaccine for grass pollen allergy.

BACKGROUND: Grass pollen is one of the most important sources of respiratory allergies worldwide. OBJECTIVE: This study describes the development of a grass pollen allergy vaccine based on recombinant hypoallergenic derivatives of the major timothy grass pollen allergens Phl p 1, Phl p 2, Phl p 5, and Phl p 6 by using a peptide-carrier approach. METHODS: Fusion proteins consisting of nonallergenic peptides from the 4 major timothy grass pollen allergens and the PreS protein from hepatitis B virus as a carrier were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by means of chromatography. Recombinant PreS fusion proteins were tested for allergenic activity and T-cell activation by means of IgE serology, basophil activation testing, T-cell proliferation assays, and xMAP Luminex technology in patients with grass pollen allergy. Rabbits were immunized with PreS fusion proteins to characterize their immunogenicity. RESULTS: Ten hypoallergenic PreS fusion proteins were constructed, expressed, and purified. According to immunogenicity and induction of allergen-specific blocking IgG antibodies, 4 hypoallergenic fusion proteins (BM321, BM322, BM325, and BM326) representing Phl p 1, Phl p 2, Phl p 5, and Phl p 6 were included as components in the vaccine termed BM32. BM321, BM322, BM325, and BM326 showed almost completely abolished allergenic activity and induced significantly reduced T-cell proliferation and release of proinflammatory cytokines in patients' PBMCs compared with grass pollen allergens. On immunization, they induced allergen-specific IgG antibodies, which inhibited patients' IgE binding to all 4 major allergens of grass pollen, as well as allergen-induced basophil activation. CONCLUSION: A recombinant hypoallergenic grass pollen allergy vaccine (BM32) consisting of 4 recombinant PreS-fused grass pollen allergen peptides was developed for safe immunotherapy of grass pollen allergy.

Development of a hypoallergenic recombinant parvalbumin for first-in-man subcutaneous immunotherapy of fish allergy.

BACKGROUND: The FAST (food allergy-specific immunotherapy) project aims at developing safe and effective subcutaneous immunotherapy for fish allergy, using recombinant hypoallergenic carp parvalbumin, Cyp c 1. OBJECTIVES: Preclinical characterization and good manufacturing practice (GMP) production of mutant Cyp (mCyp) c 1. METHODS: Escherichia coli-produced mCyp c 1 was purified using standard chromatographic techniques. Physicochemical properties were investigated by gel electrophoresis, size exclusion chromatography, circular dichroism spectroscopy, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Allergenicity was assessed by ImmunoCAP inhibition and basophil histamine release assay, immunogenicity by immunization of laboratory animals and stimulation of patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Reference molecules were purified wild-type Cyp c 1 (natural and/or recombinant). GMP-compliant alum-adsorbed mCyp c 1 was tested for acute toxicity in mice and rabbits and for repeated-dose toxicity in mice. Accelerated and real-time protocols were used to evaluate stability of mCyp c 1 as drug substance and drug product. RESULTS: Purified mCyp c 1 behaves as a folded and stable molecule. Using sera of 26 double-blind placebo-controlled food-challenge-proven fish-allergic patients, reduction in allergenic activity ranged from 10- to 5,000-fold (1,000-fold on average), but with retained immunogenicity (immunization in mice/rabbits) and potency to stimulate human PBMCs. Toxicity studies revealed no toxic effects and real-time stability studies on the Al(OH)3-adsorbed drug product demonstrated at least 20 months of stability. CONCLUSION: The GMP drug product developed for treatment of fish allergy has the characteristics targeted for in FAST: i.e. hypoallergenicity with retained immunogenicity. These results have warranted first-in-man immunotherapy studies to evaluate the safety of this innovative vaccine.

Mammalian ribosomal and chaperone protein RPS3A counteracts α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity in a yeast model system.

Accumulation of aggregated forms of αSyn (α-synuclein) into Lewy bodies is a known hallmark associated with neuronal cell death in Parkinson's disease. When expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, αSyn interacts with the plasma membrane, forms inclusions and causes a concentration-dependent growth defect. We have used a yeast mutant, cog6Δ, which is particularly sensitive to moderate αSyn expression, for screening a mouse brain-specific cDNA library in order to identify mammalian proteins that counteract αSyn toxicity. The mouse ribosomal and chaperone protein RPS3A was identified as a suppressor of αSyn [WT (wild-type) and A53T] toxicity in yeast. We demonstrated that the 50 N-terminal amino acids are essential for this function. The yeast homologues of RPS3A were not effective in suppressing the αSyn-induced growth defect, illustrating the potential of our screening system to identify modifiers that would be missed using yeast gene overexpression as the first screening step. Co-expression of mouse RPS3A delayed the formation of αSyn-GFP inclusions in the yeast cells. The results of the present study suggest that the recently identified extraribosomal chaperonin function of RPS3A also acts on the neurodegeneration-related protein αSyn and reveal a new avenue for identifying promising candidate mammalian proteins involved in αSyn functioning.

Heterogenous Induction of Blocking Antibodies against Ragweed Allergen Molecules by Allergen Extract-Based Immunotherapy Vaccines.

Currently, allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) for ragweed allergy is still based on natural allergen extracts. This study aimed to analyse the ability of four commercially available AIT vaccines (CLUSTOID, TYRO-SIT, POLLINEX Quattro Plus and Diater Depot) regarding their ability to induce IgG antibodies against ragweed pollen allergens in rabbits. Accordingly, the IgG reactivity of AIT-induced rabbit sera was tested for ten different ragweed pollen allergens (Amb a 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12) by an ELISA. Furthermore, the ability of rabbit AIT-specific sera to block allergic patients' IgE binding to relevant ragweed allergens (Amb a 1, 4, 6, 8 and 11) and to inhibit allergen-induced basophil activation was evaluated by an IgE inhibition ELISA and a mediator release assay. Only two AIT vaccines (Diater Depot > CLUSTOID) induced relevant IgG antibody levels to the major ragweed allergen Amb a 1. The IgG responses induced by the AIT vaccines against the other ragweed allergens were low and highly heterogeneous. Interestingly, the kinetics of IgG responses were different among the AIT vaccines and even within one AIT vaccine (Diater Depot) for Amb a 1 (long-lasting) versus Amb a 8 and Amb a 11 (short-lived). This could be due to variations in allergen contents, the immunogenicity of the allergens, and different immunization protocols. The IgE inhibition experiments showed that rabbit AIT-specific sera containing high allergen-specific IgG levels were able to inhibit patients' IgE binding and prevent the mediator release with Diater Depot. The high levels of allergen-specific IgG levels were associated with their ability to prevent the recognition of allergens by patients' IgE and allergen-induced basophil activation, indicating that the measurement of allergen-induced IgG could be a useful surrogate marker for the immunological efficacy of vaccines. Accordingly, the results of our study may be helpful for the selection of personalized AIT vaccination strategies for ragweed-allergic patients.

Physicochemical and immunological characterization of Amb a 12, a novel ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) pollen allergen.

BACKGROUND: Ragweed is an invasive plant in Europe, causing hay fever and asthma in allergic patients. Climate change is predicted to increase expansion and allergenicity. Elevated NO2 induced upregulation of a new allergen in ragweed pollen, an enolase, Amb a 12. OBJECTIVE: of this study was producing ragweed enolase as a recombinant protein and characterizing its physicochemical and immunological features. METHODS: Amb a 12 was designed for E. coli and insect cell expression. Physicochemical features were determined by mass spectrometry, circular dichroism measurements and enzymatic activity assay. Immunological characteristics were determined in ELISA, in a mediator release assay and by investigation of association with clinical symptoms. Common allergen sources were screened for similar proteins. RESULTS: Ragweed enolase was produced as a 48 kDa protein forming oligomers in both expression systems, showing differences in secondary structure content and enzymatic activity depending on expression system. IgE frequency and allergenicity were low regardless of expression system. Enolase-specific serum bound to similar sized molecules in mugwort, timothy grass and birch pollen, as well as food allergen sources, while highest IgE inhibition was achieved with peach pulp extract. CONCLUSIONS: Amb a 12 had high sequence similarity and comparable IgE frequency to enolase allergens from different sources. 50 kDa proteins were found in other pollen and food allergen sources, suggesting that enolases might be pan-allergens in pollen and plant foods.

Complex IgE sensitization patterns in ragweed allergic patients: Implications for diagnosis and specific immunotherapy.

Background: Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is one of the most important allergen sources, worldwide, causing severe respiratory allergic reactions in late summer and fall, in sensitized patients. Amb a 1 has been considered as the most important allergen in ragweed but 12 ragweed pollen allergens are known. The aim of our study was to investigate IgE reactivity profiles of ragweed allergic patients and to associate them with clinical symptoms. Methods: IgE sensitization profiles from clinically well-characterized ragweed allergic patients (n = 150) were analyzed using immunoblotted ragweed pollen extract. Immunoblot inhibition experiments were performed with two Amb a 1 isoforms and CCD markers and basophil activation experiments were performed with IgE serum before and after depletion of Amb a 1-specific IgE. Results: By IgE-immunoblotting 19 different IgE reactivity patterns with and without Amb a 1-sensitization were found. The majority of patients (>95%) suffered from rhino-conjunctivitis, around 60% reported asthma-like symptoms and about 25% had skin reactions. Patients with complex IgE sensitization profiles tended to have more clinical symptoms. Serum with and without Amb a 1-specific IgE induced basophil activation. Conclusions: Ragweed pollen allergic patients exhibit complex IgE reactivity profiles to ragweed allergens including Amb a 1 isoforms and cross-reactive carbohydrates indicating the importance of Amb a 1 isoforms and additional allergens for diagnosis and allergen-specific immunotherapy of ragweed allergy.

The ß2-adrenergic receptor in the apical membrane of intestinal enterocytes senses sugars to stimulate glucose uptake from the gut.

The presence of sugar in the gut causes induction of SGLT1, the sodium/glucose cotransporter in intestinal epithelial cells (enterocytes), and this is accompanied by stimulation of sugar absorption. Sugar sensing was suggested to involve a G-protein coupled receptor and cAMP - protein kinase A signalling, but the sugar receptor has remained unknown. We show strong expression and co-localization with SGLT1 of the ß2-adrenergic receptor (ß 2-AR) at the enterocyte apical membrane and reveal its role in stimulating glucose uptake from the gut by the sodium/glucose-linked transporter, SGLT1. Upon heterologous expression in different reporter systems, the ß 2-AR responds to multiple sugars in the mM range, consistent with estimated gut sugar levels after a meal. Most adrenergic receptor antagonists inhibit sugar signaling, while some differentially inhibit epinephrine and sugar responses. However, sugars did not inhibit binding of I125-cyanopindolol, a ß 2-AR antagonist, to the ligand-binding site in cell-free membrane preparations. This suggests different but interdependent binding sites. Glucose uptake into everted sacs from rat intestine was stimulated by epinephrine and sugars in a ß 2-AR-dependent manner. STD-NMR confirmed direct physical binding of glucose to the ß 2-AR. Oral administration of glucose with a non-bioavailable ß 2-AR antagonist lowered the subsequent increase in blood glucose levels, confirming a role for enterocyte apical ß 2-ARs in stimulating gut glucose uptake, and suggesting enterocyte ß 2-AR as novel drug target in diabetic and obese patients. Future work will have to reveal how glucose sensing by enterocytes and neuroendocrine cells is connected, and whether ß 2-ARs mediate glucose sensing also in other tissues.

Symptom patterns and comparison of diagnostic methods in ragweed pollen allergy.

The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of symptoms of ragweed pollen-induced allergic disease in sensitized patients from Romania and to compare the molecular diagnosis of allergy with the skin prick test, in order to better characterize allergic patients and to guide therapy. A total of 97 subjects, including patients with ragweed pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with/without asthma, as well as healthy controls, were recruited prospectively in one ragweed pollen season, submitted to allergy questionnaires, skin prick tests and multiplex specific IgE (immunoglobulin E) measurement by ImmunoCAP ISAC (ImmunoCAP Immuno-Solid phase Allergy Chip) assay. A total of 83 patients were sensitized to ragweed pollen. Most patients (73%) were diagnosed with moderate-severe intermittent allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and 25% of the patients also had allergic asthma. The most common symptoms were watery rhinorrhea (91.57%), nasal obstruction (86.75%), and sneezing (85.54%). Most patients were polysensitized (62.65%), especially to other pollens, house dust mites and animal danders. Only 90% of the patients with positive skin prick test to ragweed pollen extract also had increased specific serum IgE to Amb a 1. Current options for specific molecular diagnosis of ragweed allergy are limited, as they only contain one or few of the sensitizing allergens present in ragweed pollen. An improved component-resolved diagnosis, using several ragweed pollen allergens, is required for better patient characterization and subsequent selection of an appropriate allergen immunotherapy product, thereby enabling a more personalized approach to the management of the ragweed-allergic patient.