Evaluation of ash pollen sensitization pattern using proteomic approach with individual sera from allergic patients.

Background: In Europe, sensitization to ash pollen induces pollinosis with cross-reactivities with other pollen sources. The aim of the study was to identify the repertoire of ash pollen allergens and evaluate the extent of the diversity of the IgE response in ash allergic patients.

Methods: The IgE reactivities of 114 ash pollen- and eight grass pollen-sensitized patients were screened by 1D immunoblot (SDS-PAGE) against ash pollen extract.

Characterization of peptidic and carbohydrate cross-reactive determinants in pollen polysensitization.

Background: Cross-reactivity may be due to protein sequence or domain homologies and/or the existence of cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs). The clinical relevance of peptidic cross-reactivities is well known, whereas that of CCDs is still a question of debate. The aim of this study is to characterize the IgE specificity of various patients suffering from pollen polysensitization to identify both peptidic and carbohydrate cross-reactive determinants.

A modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay adapted for immunodetection of low amounts of water-insoluble proteins.

A mixture of thiourea, urea and CHAPS (TUC) is an excellent solvent compatible with isoelectrofocusing (IEF) separation of water-insoluble protein extracts, and their subsequent two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is an important step in proteomic studies. The main aim of this work was to quantify extremely low amounts of water-insoluble proteins contained, for instance, in samples collected in bio-aerosol samplers. High CHAPS concentrations solubilize many proteins.

Lipid transfer protein 1 is a possible allergen in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Background: The Arabidopsis thaliana genome was recently fully sequenced, and this plant is now considered as the most useful model to study the effects of genetic engineering. The aim of the present study was to identify A. thaliana IgE-binding molecules and to localize their genes in order to evaluate the potential effect of gene insertion on the expression of IgE-binding molecules.

Polygalacturonase (pectinase), a new oilseed rape allergen.

Background: Type I hypersensitivity to rapeseed pollen allergens was described as the result of a cross-sensitization with various pollens that could constitute an aggravating factor in birch or grass pollen allergies. Recently, a few rapeseed pollen allergens were described. The aim of the present work was to identify new rapeseed pollen allergens by using two-dimensional gel analysis, microsequencing, and mass spectrometry.