title: Cloning, expression in E. coli and immunological characterization of Par j 3.0201, a Parietaria pollen profilin variant.
abstract: Parietaria judaica pollen is one of the main sources of allergens in the Mediterranean area. Its allergenic composition has been studied in detail showing the presence of two major allergens (Par j 1 and Par j 2) and two minor allergens belonging to the profilin and calcium binding protein families of allergens (Par j 3 and Par j 4, respectively). Clinical reports support the hypothesis of a limited cross-reactivity between profilin from Parietaria and unrelated sources. We screened a P. judaica cDNA library to identify novel forms of profilins with allergenic activity. This strategy allowed us to isolate a 767 bp cDNA containing the information for a 131 amino acids protein with homology to profilins from unrelated sources greater than that observed with the already published Parietaria profilins. This profilin was expressed in Escherichia coli as a recombinant protein and its immunological prevalence was studied in a population of Parietaria allergic patients from Southern Europe. Immunoblotting analysis showed that the Parietaria profilin was recognized by IgE from 6.5% of the allergic population. Finally, a selected population of profilin allergic patients was enrolled to demonstrate the cross-reactivity of this novel variant with other profilins from grass and date palm. In conclusion, molecular cloning and immunological studies have allowed the isolation, expression and immunological characterization of a novel cross-reactive profilin allergen from P. judaica pollen named Par j 3.0201.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biomedicina ed Immunologia Molecolare,"Alberto Monroy" del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trapani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gulino
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valenta
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asero
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D032403:Parietaria / Q000276:immunology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051304:Profilins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C586279:Par j 3.0201 protein, Parietaria judaica; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D051304:Profilins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C014155:Parietaria judaica pollen
keywords: Allergen; Parietaria pollen; Profilin; Recombinant allergen