Role of the polypeptide backbone and post-translational modifications in cross-reactivity of Art v 1, the major mugwort pollen allergen.
Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) is one of the main causes of late summer pollinosis in Europe, with >95% of patients sensitized to the glycoallergen Art v 1. Despite the importance of this allergen, little is known about its cross-reactive behavior. Here we investigated the occurrence of conserved Art v 1 antigenic determinants in sources known to display clinically relevant cross-reactivity with mugwort pollen. For this purpose, monoclonal antibodies specific for a cysteine-stabilized epitope of the Art v 1 defensin domain and for carbohydrates attached to the proline domain were produced by hybridoma and phage display technologies. Using polyclonal Art v 1-specific rabbit sera and antibodies against both the Art v 1 carbohydrate and polypeptide moieties, we could identify cross-reactive structures in pollen from botanically related Asteraceae weeds (Artemisia absinthium, Helianthus annuus and Ambrosia sp.). Homologous allergens were also recognized by IgE from mugwort-sensitized patients and the reactivity could be decreased by serum pre-incubation with natural and recombinant Art v 1. As no cross-reactive structures could be found in foods associated with mugwort pollinosis, we conclude that Art v 1 is poorly involved in mugwort cross-reactivity to food allergens.
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria.
Petra
P
Gruber
Gabriele
G
Gadermaier
Roman
R
Bauer
Richard
R
Weiss
Stefan
S
Wagner
Renaud
R
Leonard
Heimo
H
Breiteneder
Christof
C
Ebner
Fatima
F
Ferreira
Matthias
M
Egger
D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D019306:Artemisia / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019151:Peptide Library; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011817:Rabbits
D000485:Allergens; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C102724:Art v 1 protein, mugwort; D000939:Epitopes; D019151:Peptide Library; D010940:Plant Proteins