title: Immunodominance in allergic T-cell reactivity to Japanese cedar in different geographic cohorts.
abstract: Japanese cedar (JC) pollen is a common trigger for allergic rhinitis in Japan. Pollen proteins targeted by IgE, including Cry j 1 and Cry j 2, and isoflavone reductase (IFR) have been identified.
  
  
  
  To compare antigen-specific IgE titers and T-cell responses to JC pollen-derived extract and peptides in cohorts with high and low pollen exposure.
  
  
  
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from JC pollen allergic or nonallergic patients who have lived in Japan for at least 1 year and JC pollen allergic patients who have never been to Japan were tested for T-cell responses against JC pollen extract and peptide pools derived from Cry j 1, Cry j 2, or IFR. T-cell reactivity was assessed by interleukin 5 and interferon γ production by ELISPOT.
  
  
  
  JC pollen-specific T-cell reactivity and IgE titers were significantly higher in the allergic compared with the nonallergic Japanese cohort, which was also associated with different patterns of polysensitization. Interestingly, a significant overlap was observed in the hierarchy of the T-cell epitopes in the allergic Japanese cohort compared with the allergic non-Japanese cohort. In all 3 cohorts, T-cell reactivity was dominantly directed against peptides from the major allergens Cry j 1 and 2, with few T-cell responses detected against IFR.
  
  
  
  Our studies identify common denominators of T-cell reactivity in patient populations with different sensitization patterns, suggesting that generally applicable immunotherapeutic approaches might be developed irrespective of exposure modality.
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oseroff
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frazier
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hinz
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sidney
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Sinu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Greenbaum
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Randi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vita
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Bjoern
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California. Electronic address: veronique@lji.org.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schulten
authors.affiliation: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sette
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D032485:Cryptomeria / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006680:HLA Antigens; D010455:Peptides; D007073:Immunoglobulin E