title: Roles of carbohydrates on Cry j 1, the major allergen of Japanese cedar pollen, in specific T-cell responses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carbohydrates expressed on allergens are known to be important for allergenicity. However, little is known about whether the carbohydrates drive the T(H)2 response.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine a role for carbohydrates expressed on Cry j 1, which is the major allergen of Cryptomeria japonica pollen and causes the most prevalent pollinosis in Japan, in in vitro cellular responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carbohydrates on Cry j 1 were destroyed by periodate-oxidation under mild conditions. Proliferative responses and cytokine productions against native, periodate-treated, and mock-treated Cry j 1 were compared in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, Cry j 1-specific T-cell lines, and clones from patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis displayed a significant decrease in proliferation and IL-5 production in response to periodate-treated Cry j 1 in comparison with native and mock-treated Cry j 1. Decreased proliferative responses against periodate-treated Cry j 1 were also seen in polyclonal T-cell lines, and the responses showed a heterogeneity. In addition, Cry j 1-specific CD4+ T-cell clones also displayed a significant decrease in proliferation and IL-4 and IL-5 production-but not IFN-gamma production-in comparison with the control antigens. However, most of the clones showed decreased but positive proliferative responses against periodate-treated Cry j 1. Blockade of the mannose receptor had no effect on cellular responses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that carbohydrates on Cry j 1 play a major role in promoting Cry j 1-specific T(H)2 response in vitro, though they are not major targets as T-cell epitopes.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Otolaryngology and Pathology, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kino
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takishita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishizaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D000090323:Mannose Receptor; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins; D008875:Middle Aged; D010504:Periodic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014197:Trees / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002241:Carbohydrates; C065290:Cry j I protein, Cryptomeria japonica; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015848:Interleukin-5; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D000090323:Mannose Receptor; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D010504:Periodic Acid; D015847:Interleukin-4; C009288:metaperiodate