title: Pectate lyase pollen allergens: sensitization profiles and cross-reactivity pattern.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pollen released by allergenic members of the botanically unrelated families of Asteraceae and Cupressaceae represent potent elicitors of respiratory allergies in regions where these plants are present. As main allergen sources the Asteraceae species ragweed and mugwort, as well as the Cupressaceae species, cypress, mountain cedar, and Japanese cedar have been identified. The major allergens of all species belong to the pectate lyase enzyme family. Thus, we thought to investigate cross-reactivity pattern as well as sensitization capacities of pectate lyase pollen allergens in cohorts from distinct geographic regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinically relevant pectate lyase pollen allergens Amb a 1, Art v 6, Cup a 1, Jun a 1, and Cry j 1 were purified from aqueous pollen extracts, and patients' sensitization pattern of cohorts from Austria, Canada, Italy, and Japan were determined by IgE ELISA and cross-inhibition experiments. Moreover, we performed microarray experiments and established a mouse model of sensitization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In ELISA and ELISA inhibition experiments specific sensitization pattern were discovered for each geographic region, which reflected the natural allergen exposure of the patients. We found significant cross-reactivity within Asteraceae and Cupressaceae pectate lyase pollen allergens, which was however limited between the orders. Animal experiments showed that immunization with Asteraceae allergens mainly induced antibodies reactive within the order, the same was observed for the Cupressaceae allergens. Cross-reactivity between orders was minimal. Moreover, Amb a 1, Art v 6, and Cry j 1 showed in general higher immunogenicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We could cluster pectate lyase allergens in four categories, Amb a 1, Art v 6, Cup a 1/Jun a 1, and Cry j 1, respectively, at which each category has the potential to sensitize predisposed individuals. The sensitization pattern of different cohorts correlated with pollen exposure, which should be considered for future allergy diagnosis and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pichler
authors.affiliation: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.affiliation: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: Associated Centers for Molecular Allergology, Rome, Italy; Centro di Allergologia Molecolare, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Livia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.affiliation: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gadermaier
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Allergieambulatorium am Reumanplatz, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Kyorin University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.affiliation: Atopy (Allergy) Research Center, Juntendo University, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.affiliation: Stallergenes S.A., Antony, France.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Didierlaurent
authors.affiliation: Associated Centers for Molecular Allergology, Rome, Italy; Centro di Allergologia Molecolare, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rafaiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Briza
authors.affiliation: Associated Centers for Molecular Allergology, Rome, Italy; Centro di Allergologia Molecolare, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.affiliation: ZAUM, Center for Allergy and Environment, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Heidrun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Behrendt
authors.affiliation: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wallner
authors.affiliation: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Fátima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D031164:Ambrosia / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology; D019306:Artemisia / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D011133:Polysaccharide-Lyases / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D011133:Polysaccharide-Lyases; C023911:pectate lyase