title: Multiple B- and T-cell epitopes on a major allergen of Kentucky Bluegrass pollen.
abstract: The B- and T-cell epitopes of a recombinant grass allergen, rKBG60, were delineated using a set of overlapping synthetic peptides. Direct binding by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilizing serum pools led to the identification of 13 murine immunoglobulin-, and nine to 13 human IgG- and five to seven human IgE-reactive overlapping peptides. Of the peptides which bound to human IgE antibodies, all but three peptides bound to human and/or murine IgG antibodies. Furthermore, eight out of 12 synthetic peptides induced antigen-specific antibodies in mice, suggesting that these peptides contained epitopes that recognized and/or induced T cells. These results, in conjunction with cross-recognition of different peptides at the C-terminus of rKBG60 by antibodies to neighbouring or non-overlapping peptides suggest that the C-terminus of this antigen represents a dominant antigenic and allergenic site. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation studies using these synthetic peptides for 13 grass allergic individuals indicated that seven potential human T-cell epitopes exist on this allergen. Taken together, the results demonstrate that multiple B- and T-cell epitopes exist on this major group of grass allergens, the majority of which are localized at the C-terminus of this antigen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mohapatra
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D006109:Poaceae; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000939:Epitopes; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010446:Peptide Fragments