title: Pollensomes as Natural Vehicles for Pollen Allergens.
abstract: Olive (Olea europaea) pollen constitutes one of the most important allergen sources in the Mediterranean countries and some areas of the United States, South Africa, and Australia. Recently, we provided evidence that olive pollen releases nanovesicles of respirable size, named generically pollensomes, during in vitro germination. Olive pollensomes contain allergens, such as Ole e 1, Ole e 11, and Ole e 12, suggesting a possible role in allergy. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of pollensomes to the allergic reaction. We show that pollensomes exhibit allergenic activity in terms of patients' IgE-binding capacity, human basophil activation, and positive skin reaction in sensitized patients. Furthermore, allergen-containing pollensomes have been isolated from three clinically relevant nonphylogenetically related species: birch (Betula verrucosa), pine (Pinus sylvestris), and ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Most interesting, pollensomes were isolated from aerobiological samples collected with an eight-stage cascade impactor collector, indicating that pollensomes secretion is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Our findings indicate that pollensomes may represent widespread vehicles for pollen allergens, with potential implications in the allergic reaction.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Química, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
authors.forename: Noela
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.affiliation: Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain;
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Linares
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Navarra, Spain; and.
authors.forename: María L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Alergia, Hospital Basurto, 48013 Bilbao, Vizcaya, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gamboa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Química, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
authors.forename: Mayte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villalba
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Química, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
authors.forename: Rosalía
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Química, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; ebataner@pdi.ucm.es.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Batanero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D015549:Basophil Degranulation Test; D001491:Basophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D029662:Betula / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018525:Germination; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000737:chemistry; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008129:Lolium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D031658:Olea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D011058:Pollen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D061251:Primary Cell Culture
chemical_list: D052179:Antigens, Plant; D007106:Immune Sera; C081946:Ole e I protein, Olea europaea; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E