title: Immunoglobulin-E-binding epitopes of wheat allergens in patients with food allergy to wheat and in mice experimentally sensitized to wheat proteins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  At present, B cell epitopes involved in food allergy to wheat are known only for a few allergens and a few categories of patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the epitopes of different wheat kernel allergens: α-, γ, ω2, and ω5-gliadin, a low-molecular-weight (LMW) glutenin subunit, and a lipid transfer protein (LTP1) recognized by allergic patients and by sensitized mice and provide further understanding of the role of structure in determining allergic response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera were obtained from 39 patients suffering from food allergy to wheat. BALB/c mice were sensitized to gliadins or LTP1 by intraperitoneal immunizations. Continuous epitopes bound by IgE were delineated by the Pepscan technique. The response to reduced, alkylated LTP1 was compared with that of the native form to evaluate the importance of protein folding on IgE reactivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Few continuous epitopes of LTP1 reacted with IgE from allergic patients and mice, but one of them was common to several patients and sensitized mice. The unfolded protein was not recognized by either patient or mouse IgE, emphasizing the major role of LTP1 folding and discontinuous epitopes in IgE-binding. In contrast, many continuous epitopes were detected by patient and mouse IgE especially for an ω5-gliadin, which is an unstructured protein, and to a lesser extent, for the other gliadins and a LMW-glutenin subunit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The conformation of LTP1 appeared to have a strong impact on the type of IgE-binding epitopes elicited by this protein in both man and mouse. The responses in mice sensitized to gliadins or LTP1 were sufficiently comparable with the human response in terms of IgE-binding epitopes to provide support for the use of the mouse model in further investigations.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR1268 Biopolymers, Interactions, Assemblies, rue de la Géraudière, Nantes cedex 03, France. denery@nantes.inra.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Denery-Papini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bodinier
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pineau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Triballeau
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tranquet
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adel-Patient
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Moneret-Vautrin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bakan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marion
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mothes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mameri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kasarda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D005903:Gliadin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008875:Middle Aged; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014908:Triticum / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D021182:Wheat Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D010940:Plant Proteins; C511920:lipid transfer proteins, plant; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D005903:Gliadin