title: Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.): allergenicity and molecular characterization of pollen after plant exposure to elevated NO2.
abstract: Ragweed pollen is the main cause of allergenic diseases in Northern America, and the weed has become a spreading neophyte in Europe. Climate change and air pollution are speculated to affect the allergenic potential of pollen. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of NO2 , a major air pollutant, under controlled conditions, on the allergenicity of ragweed pollen. Ragweed was exposed to different levels of NO2 throughout the entire growing season, and its pollen further analysed. Spectroscopic analysis showed increased outer cell wall polymers and decreased amounts of pectin. Proteome studies using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry indicated increased amounts of several Amb a 1 isoforms and of another allergen with great homology to enolase Hev b 9 from rubber tree. Analysis of protein S-nitrosylation identified nitrosylated proteins in pollen from both conditions, including Amb a 1 isoforms. However, elevated NO2 significantly enhanced the overall nitrosylation. Finally, we demonstrated increased overall pollen allergenicity by immunoblotting using ragweed antisera, showing a significantly higher allergenicity for Amb a 1. The data highlight a direct influence of elevated NO2 on the increased allergenicity of ragweed pollen and a direct correlation with an increased risk for human health.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.|Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elkelish
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.|Biochemical Plant Pathology, Technische Universität München, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan für Ernährung, Landnutzung und Umwelt, Freising, 85350, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindermayr
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: J Barbro
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.affiliation: Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Allergology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, 80337, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ruёff
authors.affiliation: Center of Allergy & Environment München (ZAUM), Technische Universität and Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, 80802, Germany.|CK-CARE, Christine Kühne - Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, 7265, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Heidrun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Behrendt
authors.affiliation: CK-CARE, Christine Kühne - Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, 7265, Switzerland.|Institute of Environmental Medicine, UNIKA-T, Technische Universität München, Augsburg, 86156, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Traidl-Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Institute for Botany, Leopold-Franzens Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holzinger
authors.affiliation: Institute for Botany, Leopold-Franzens Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kofler
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Sciences and Mechanotronics, University of Applied Science Munich, Munich, 80335, Germany.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Protein Science, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Toerne
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Protein Science, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hauck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.|CK-CARE, Christine Kühne - Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, 7265, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, 85764, Germany.|CK-CARE, Christine Kühne - Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, 7265, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution; D000485:Allergens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D031164:Ambrosia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D057231:Climate Change; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; C433085:ragweed pollen; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide
keywords: NO2; S-nitrosylation; allergen; immune serum; immunoblot; pollen; proteome; ragweed