Sal k 1 is a protein from the PME family with a high allergenic relevance. Considering this allergen as responsible for the different sensitization between S. kali and C. album pollen, it may be a useful marker to classify patients allergic to Chenopodiaceae allowing a safer and more specific immunotherapy.

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Olive tree (Olea europaea) pollen is a main cause of allergy in Mediterranean areas and North America. A novel allergen, Ole e 11, has been detected by proteomic techniques. Protein bands binding IgE from allergic sera were excised from a 2D electrophoresis gel and analysed by Edman degradation and MALDI‐TOF MS. Four peptides were sequenced and used for designing primers to clone the cDNA codifying the protein. Ole e 11 consists of a 342 amino acid length polypeptide with a molecular mass of 37.4 kDa and a pI of 7.8. The allergen was identified as a pectin methylesterase and showed low identity with other members of this family from foods such as those from carrot (23%), orange (25%) and tomato (24%), and higher identity with those from Arabidopsis thaliana (57%) and Salsola kali (54%) pollen. The protein was overproduced in Pichia pastoris, purified, and characterized as an active enzyme. CD analysis rendered 3%α‐helix, 50%β‐sheet and 27%β‐turns for its secondary structure, which is in agreement with other pectin methylesterase structures. The recombinant protein was demonstrated to be immunologically equivalent to the natural form by immunoblotting, indirect ELISA and inhibition experiments, using polyclonal antiserum and sera from olive pollen allergic patients. The prevalence fluctuated between 55.9% and 75.6% in three different allergic populations. The availability of this new olive pollen allergen could improve the component‐resolved diagnosis. Its allergenic relevance is stepped up by the biotechnological use of these enzymes to improve organoleptic properties in processing foods and further confirms the need to include it in an accurate diagnosis.

Background: Ragweed frequently causes seasonal allergies in North America and Europe. In the United States, several related ragweed species with diverse geographical distribution cause allergic symptoms. Cross-reactivity towards related ragweed species of IgE and treatment-induced IgG 4 has been demonstrated previously. However, less is known about the underlying T-cell cross-reactivity. Methods: The allergen content of ragweed extracts was determined by mass spectrometry and related to T-cell epitopes of Amb a allergens (group 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 11) in 20 American ragweed allergic patients determined by FluoroSpot and proliferation assays. T-cell responses to 50 frequently recognized Amb a-derived T-cell epitopes and homologous peptides from western ragweed (Amb p), giant ragweed (Amb t) and mugwort (Art v) were investigated in an additional 11 American and 14 Slovakian ragweed allergic donors. Results: Ragweed extracts contained all known allergens and isoallergens thereof. Donor T-cell responses were diverse and directed against all Amb a 1 isoallergens and to most minor allergens investigated. Similar response patterns were seen in American and Slovakia donors. Several epitopes were cross-reactive between isoallergens and ragweed species, some even including mugwort. T-cell cross-reactivity generally correlated with allergen sequence homology. Conclusion: T-cell epitopes of multiple allergens/isoallergens are involved in the diverse T-cell responses in ragweed allergic individuals. T-cell lines were highly crossreactive to epitopes of related ragweed species without any apparent geographical response bias. These data support that different ragweed species can be considered an allergen homology group with Amb a as the representative species regarding diagnosis as well as allergy immunotherapy.

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Aromatic plants make secondary metabolites that can be useful or toxic to an organism. In this work, we obtained Essential Oil (EO) by Microwave-assisted Hydrodistillation (MWHD). The process was carried out during the period from 15 min to 700 watts, with samples of 50, 100 and 200 g, collected in Vijes and Sevilla, Valle, Colombia. For each sample of essential oil the relative density at 20°C and the Refractive Index were evaluated (RI). The chemical composition was evaluated using GC-MS and its antiradical activity (AA) was carried out using the DPPH*, ABTS + and ORAC methods. The process yield was between 0.087 ± 0.012 and 0.140 ± 0.005%. Significant differences were observed for the RI with values between 1.475 ± 0.001 and 1.484 ± 0.003 for a (Pv < 0.05). The highest contributions correspond to p-Cimeno (10.04), Terpinen-4-ol (9.48), Carvacrol (8.70%) and Thymol (1.95%) presented lowest values. The EO of oregano presents a good AA that ranges between 318.8 ± 0.009 to 320.6 ± 0.003 (Sevilla) and 310.8 ± 0.021 to 312.1 ± 0.014 (Vijes) mmol Trolox/100 g for DPPH*, and 23.852 ± 0.018 to 24.019 ± 0.011 (Sevilla) and 23.128 ± 0.012 to 23.412 ± 0.009 (Vijes) mmol Trolox/100 g for ABTS + . Finally, oregano essential oils presented low molecular weight aliphatic compounds, being markers of these matrices.

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