title: Plant chitinase III Ziz m 1 stimulates multiple cytokines, most predominantly interleukin-13, from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of latex-fruit allergic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Indian jujube is a fruit abundantly cultivated in Taiwan. Its major allergen in latex-fruit syndrome is Ziz m 1 of the chitinase III family. The Ziz m 1 Pichia (rZiz m 1-P) has chitinase activity but not Ziz m 1 E. coli (rZiz m 1-E).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined whether plant chitinase III, using rZiz m 1-P and rZiz m 1-E, can stimulate allergic inflammation similar to that of mammalian chitinases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients allergic to latex-Indian jujube and five nonallergic controls were evaluated. Their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were cultured with rZiz m 1-E or rZiz m 1-P and pulsed with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Eleven cytokines were measured by FlowCytomix human Th1/Th2 plex kit and interleukin (IL)-13 by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interleukin-13 significantly increased in rZiz m 1-P stimulated PBMC of allergic subjects but was undetectable when stimulated with rZiz m 1-E. The stimulation index significantly increased in IL-13 (380.6 ± 77.33 vs 13.70 ± 6.92), IL-5 (6.70 ± 0.59 vs 0.70 ± 0.37), IL-1β (32.70 ± 0.83 vs 2.10 ± 1.29), and tumor necrosis factor beta (TNF-β) (17.10 ± 2.66 vs 1.50 ± 0.66) between allergic and nonallergic subjects after rZiz m 1-P stimulation. There was no difference in terms of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-8, and TNF-α production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The biological function of chitinase activity is required for Ziz m 1 to induce a Th2-specific immune response. This is the first report on PBMC responses of latex-fruit syndrome subjects toward an active exogenous plant class III chitinase that can stimulate multiple cytokines, especially IL-13, from allergic subjects. This implies the role of cross-reactive food allergens in propagating allergic inflammation among allergic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, and General Education Center, Overseas Chinese University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mey-Fann
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shyh-Jye
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hsin-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yi-Hsing
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002688:Chitinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003429:Cross Reactions; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010843:Pichia / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D031957:Ziziphus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D016207:Cytokines; D018793:Interleukin-13; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C530173:Ziz m 1 protein, Indian jujube; C020922:4-O-methyl-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate; D002688:Chitinases; C110892:chitinase, class III; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate