Reference "Complementary DNA cloning of the major allergen Phl p I from timothy grass (Phleum pratense); recombinant Phl p I inhibits IgE binding to group I allergens from eight different grass species"

Reference ID

9561

Title

Complementary DNA cloning of the major allergen Phl p I from timothy grass (Phleum pratense); recombinant Phl p I inhibits IgE binding to group I allergens from eight different grass species

Source

The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 1994, vol. 94, pp. 689-698

Authors (7)

Laffer-S	Valenta-R
Vrtala-S	Susani-M
Kraft-D	Scheiner-O
Duchene-M

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Grass pollens, such as pollen from timothy grass (Phleum pratense),
represent a major cause of type I allergy. OBJECTIVE: In this report we
attempted to determine how cross-reactive allergenic components of grass pollens
from different species can be represented by a minimum number of recombinant
allergens. METHODS: We isolated and sequenced a timothy grass pollen cDNA coding
for the major allergen Phl p I. A recombinant Phl p I-beta-galactosidase fusion
protein, which bound to IgE in 87% of patients with grass pollen allergy, was
produced in Escherichia coli. Using recombinant Phl p V and Phl p I, we defined
representative patients' sera that bound to group I but not to group V
allergens, as well as sera with reactivity against group I and group V
allergens. IgE immunoblot inhibition studies were done with nitrocellulose-
blotted pollen extracts from eight grass species with different geographic
distribution. RESULTS: Preadsorption of patients' sera with recombinant
nonfusion Phl p I strongly reduced IgE binding to group I allergens from the
eight grasses, showing extensive cross-reactivity between species. CONCLUSION: A
single recombinant group I allergen contains many of the IgE epitopes of group I
isoallergens from a number of different grass species.