Common IgE-epitopes of recombinant Phl p I, the major timothy grass pollen allergen and natural group I grass pollen isoallergens.
Grass pollen allergens are potent elicitors of Type I allergy. More than 95% of grass pollen allergic patients display IgE-cross-reactivity to group I grass pollen allergens of different grass species. A cDNA coding for the major timothy grass pollen allergen, Phl p I, was isolated previously. To investigate the presence of common IgE-epitopes among naturally occurring group I grass pollen isoallergens, Phl p I was expressed in Escherichia coli and used for IgE-absorption experiments. Recombinant Phl p I was able to inhibit IgE-binding to most of group I isoallergens from seven grass species as identified by two dimensional electrophoresis. When tested in competitive ELISA experiments, recombinant Phl p I bound a high percentage of grass pollen specific IgE. The results indicate that recombinant Phl p I shares many of the IgE-epitopes with natural group I grass pollen allergens and hence may represent a useful tool for specific diagnosis and therapy of grass pollen allergy.
Laffer
S
S
Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, AKH, University of Vienna, Austria.
Duchene
M
M
Reimitzer
I
I
Susani
M
M
Mannhalter
C
C
Kraft
D
D
Valenta
R
R
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000485:Allergens; D000939:Epitopes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C090396:PHLPI protein, Phleum pratense; D007073:Immunoglobulin E