title: Mugwort-sensitized individuals from North Europe, South Europe and North America show different IgE reactivity patterns.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sensitization to weed pollen allergens at the molecular level is not fully understood. We studied IgE reactivity to the major mugwort allergen Art v 1 in relation to allergens from other weed pollen and cross-reactive components in mugwort-sensitized subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Art v 1 and Amb a 1 were affinity purified and coupled to experimental ImmunoCAP® tests. Samples from North Europe (n = 50), South Europe (n = 19) and North America (n = 41) were analyzed for IgE against mugwort pollen, weed allergen components, pan-allergens and cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of IgE reactivity (>0.35 kU(A)/l) to Art v 1 was significantly higher in samples from North Europe than in those from North America. IgE to Amb a 1 was more common in North America than in North and South Europe, while IgE to Par j 2 was common in South Europe, less common in North America, and absent in North Europe. IgE to Art v 3 in mugwort-allergic patients was more common in North Europe than in South Europe and North America, while IgE to Sal k 1 was similar between the areas. Subjects with an Art v 1/mugwort-specific IgE ratio <0.5 had more often IgE to Amb a 1, profilin, polcalcin and CCDs than subjects with a ratio >0.5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mugwort-sensitized subjects have different IgE reactivity profiles to weed allergens, reflecting their exposure to various pollens. Subjects with a low ratio between the IgE levels to Art v 1 and mugwort have a diverse IgE reactivity profile, indicating a role for cross-reactive allergens in their mugwort sensitization.
authors: Phadia AB, R&D, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. robert.moverare@phadia.com
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Movérare
authors: Håkan
authors: H
authors: Larsson
authors: Raimo
authors: R
authors: Carlsson
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Holmquist
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019306:Artemisia / Q000276:immunology*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007073:Immunoglobulin E