Antigenic determinants of bovine serum albumin.
BACKGROUND
Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is one of the most widely studied proteins; its structure is well known and its antigenic characteristics have been described in several papers. The aim of this research was the identification of the BSA antigenic determinants.


METHODS
This study was performed using limited proteolysis and an immunoblotting technique, in which a commercial murine antibody and sera from children sensitized to BSA were used.


RESULTS
Findings suggest amino acids (aa) 524-598 as an epitopic area for human species. The most critical sequence seems to be aa 524-542, even if it must be included in a longer fragment to be recognized by antibodies. Murine IgG antibodies also recognize fragments contained in the first half (NH(2)-terminal portion) of BSA.


CONCLUSIONS
The results presented in this study indicate that the epitopic sites of an antigenic protein can be different when different species are considered, so that data obtained with antibodies from animal species cannot be directly extrapolated to the behavior of human IgEs.
Beretta
B
B
Laboratory of Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, via Balzaretti 9, I-20133 Milan, Italy.
Conti
A
A
Fiocchi
A
A
Gaiaschi
A
A
Galli
C L
CL
Giuffrida
M G
MG
Ballabio
C
C
Restani
P
P
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000276:immunology*
D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine