Effects of air pollution on cup a 3 allergen in Cupressus arizonica pollen grains.
BACKGROUND
Cupressaceae is a family of plants resistant to airborne contamination, and its pollen is the main cause of winter allergic respiratory diseases, especially in North America, Japan, and Mediterranean countries. Recently, a major allergen from Cupressus arizonica pollen grains, Cup a 3, was cloned and expressed.


OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of air pollution on the expression of Cup a 3, a thaumatinlike protein, in C. arizonica pollen grains using a combination of transmission electron microscopy and immunocytochemical techniques.


METHODS
Observations were made in mature and hydrated C. arizonica pollen grains from various regions in Spain with different degrees of air pollution. Specimens were fixed using freezing protocols, and ultrathin sections were incubated with anti-rCup a 3 rabbit polyclonal antibodies.


RESULTS
Labeling of Cup a 3 was detected in mature and hydrated C. arizonica pollen grains. It was more intense in pollen from polluted air regions, and abundant gold particles were observed as they were released through the pollen grain walls. Furthermore, gold particles remained abundant in the pollen cytoplasm. The labeling was noticeably lower in pollen grains from unpolluted air regions.


CONCLUSIONS
Cup a 3 is present in the cytoplasm and walls of cypress pollen grains during the air dispersion and hydration stages. The abundance of Cup a 3 in pollen grains under polluted air conditions indicates that these cypresses intensify their activity as a defense from environmental pollution, thus strengthening their allergenicity.
Suárez-Cervera
Maria
M
Department of Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Spain. msuarez@ub.edu
Castells
Teresa
T
Vega-Maray
Ana
A
Civantos
Esther
E
del Pozo
Victoria
V
Fernández-González
Delia
D
Moreno-Grau
Stella
S
Moral
Angel
A
López-Iglesias
Carmen
C
Lahoz
Carlos
C
Seoane-Camba
Juan A
JA
D000397:Air Pollution; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D029781:Cupressus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013030:Spain
D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C488366:Cup a 3 allergen, Cupressus arizonica