title: Complementary DNA cloning of the major allergen Phl p I from timothy grass (Phleum pratense); recombinant Phl p I inhibits IgE binding to group I allergens from eight different grass species.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Grass pollens, such as pollen from timothy grass (Phleum pratense), represent a major cause of type I allergy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this report we attempted to determine how cross-reactive allergenic components of grass pollens from different species can be represented by a minimum number of recombinant allergens.
  
  
  METHODS
  We isolated and sequenced a timothy grass pollen cDNA coding for the major allergen Phl p I. A recombinant Phl p I-beta-galactosidase fusion protein, which bound to IgE in 87% of patients with grass pollen allergy, was produced in Escherichia coli. Using recombinant Phl p V and Phl p I, we defined representative patients' sera that bound to group I but not to group V allergens, as well as sera with reactivity against group I and group V allergens. IgE immunoblot inhibition studies were done with nitrocellulose-blotted pollen extracts from eight grass species with different geographic distribution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preadsorption of patients' sera with recombinant nonfusion Phl p I strongly reduced IgE binding to group I allergens from the eight grasses, showing extensive cross-reactivity between species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single recombinant group I allergen contains many of the IgE epitopes of group I isoallergens from a number of different grass species.
authors.affiliation: Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laffer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valenta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vrtala
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Susani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Ree
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Scheiner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duchêne
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D006109:Poaceae / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E