[Identification of Amaranthus palmeri pollen allergens comparing recognizing pattern between allergic and non-allergic].

Background: Amaranthus palmed pollen is an important allergenic agent in Mexico. A high proportion of subjects allergic to pollen grains are allergic to this species. In this study, we analyzed the different response of three groups: one of patients allergic to A. palmeri; one of patients allergic to other pollen species different from A. palmeri, and one of non-allergic subjects.

Objective: To identify proteins that are recognized preferentially by patients allergic to A. palmeri that could be considered as its allergens.

Material And Methods: T cell response was determined by lymphoproliferative assays with eight protein fractions in the range of 14 to 103 kDa obtained by electroelution, and the total protein extract. IgE recognition was determined by Western blot.

Results: Even though some individuals in the three groups showed cellular responses to some of the protein fractions, as well as IgE recognition of the pollen proteins, the allergic subjects had the strongest responses on average. Preferential recognition of some proteins was evident in A. palmeri pollen allergic patients.

Conclusions: Differences among the three groups were not statistically significant. However, we found four proteins with molecular weights of 17.9, 20.1, 26.6 and 66.5 kDa, which can be proposed as allergens.