title: Epitope analysis of birch pollen allergen in Japanese subjects.
abstract: Birch pollen is a very common cause of nasal allergy (pollinosis) not only in Scandinavia, Europe, Canada, and the northern part of the United States but also in Hokkaido, Japan. We have previously reported a positive association between the HLA-DR9 phenotype and the development of birch pollen allergy in Japanese subjects. However, there is little information about T cell epitopes of birch pollen which are presented by HLA class II molecules other than HLA-DR9. Therefore, we analyzed the difference in T cell epitope usage in patients who had HLA-DR9 versus those who did not. Seven Japanese patients with birch pollinosis were studied. Some groups of peptides representing T cell epitopes (Betula verrucosa; Bet VI peptides, p7-33, p23-46, p138-160) appeared to be shared by the majority, while another peptide (Bet VI p72-95) was recognized predominantly by patients who expressed HLA-DR9 and/or HLA-DQ3 molecules. Moreover, seven T cell clones and eight T cell lines were generated from two patients who did not have HLA-DR9 or HLA-DQ3. Using some of these T cell clones/lines, we investigated the relationship between HLA class II molecules and antigenic peptides. One of these T cell clones recognized antigenic peptides in the context of the HLA-DQ1 molecule. To our knowledge, this is the first indication that the epitope on Bet VI can be presented by the HLA-DQ molecule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokubo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizumoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katagiri
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002460:Cell Line / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D011058:Pollen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; C061312:Bet v 1 allergen, Betula