title: The specific IgE reactivity pattern of weed pollen-induced allergic rhinitis patients.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity towards the major mugwort allergen Art v 1 is a good indicator for Art v sensitization. Allergens from the ragweed species Amb t and Amb a possibly share common IgE-binding epitopes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the reactivity pattern of IgE in Chinese patients with weed pollen-induced allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 50 weed pollen-induced allergic rhinitis patients were tested for specific serum IgE reactivity against allergenic extracts of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, Art v), short ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Amb a), giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida, Amb t), and single allergens of Art v 1, Art v 3, Amb a 1, and profilin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sera from 88% of the patients demonstrated positive specific IgE reactivity to Art v, and of these 82% were positive to Art v 1. Sera from 38% of the patients showed positive specific IgE reactivity to both ragweed species Amb t and Amb a. A strong correlation was found between the specific IgE levels of Amb t and Amb a. Of the Amb a IgE-positive patients, 38% were positive for Amb a 1. Of all patient sera tested, 12% were specific IgE-positive to profilin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Capital Medical University, No. 17 HouGouHuTong, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Demin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xuxin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gjesing
authors.forename: Nanshan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Luo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Spangfort
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D031164:Ambrosia / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology; D019306:Artemisia / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D057685:Plant Weeds / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D051304:Profilins / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C026967:Amb a I protein, Ambrosia artemisiifolia; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C102724:Art v 1 protein, mugwort; C495881:Art v 3 allergen, Artemisia vulgaris; D010940:Plant Proteins; D051304:Profilins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E