Cross-reactivity of pollen allergens

Abstract

Pollen cross-allergenicity has practical implications on the management of inhalant allergy, in both evaluation and therapy, especially with allergen vaccine immunotherapy. The study of cross-reactivity among pollen allergens has expanded beyond investigation of crude extracts to the characterization and cloning of numerous pollen proteins. In this review, the interrelationships between these pollen allergens in the context of botanical systematics are examined, to provide a framework for cross-reactivity understanding. Recommendations for choices in evaluation and therapy are given.

The Principle of Homologous Groups in Regulatory Affairs of Allergen Products – A Proposal

“…Several cross-reactivity studies with grass pollen allergens showing that the majority of grass species are highly cross-reactive are further indicators for the suggested group formation [[43, 44,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59]; for reviews see [42, 46,60,61,62,63,64]]. For example, RAST inhibition tests demonstrated that extract of P. pratense pollen was able to inhibit binding of IgE antibodies of subjects with grass-positive skin tests to extracts of P. pratensis , L. perenne , Agrostis alba , Festuca spp., A. odoratum , Agropyron spp.…”

Specific Immunotherapy for Common Grass Pollen Allergies: Pertinence of a Five Grass Pollen Vaccine

“…Most grass pollen-allergic patients are sensitised mainly to group 1 and group 5 major allergens, whereas a few are also sensitised to group 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 and 13 allergens [7,8,9,10,11]. There is ample evidence that both group 1 and group 5 allergens are well conserved among Pooideae, with an amino acid sequence homology in the range of 90 and 55–80%, respectively [13,14,15].…”

“…Besides its broad historical utilisation for desensitisation purposes by clinicians, the 5 grass combination can be justified based on (1) the widespread distribution in Europe and North America of these Pooideae, which belong to 2 distinct tribes; (2) a well-characterised content of both major and minor allergens [3, 5,10,11,12,13,14,15]. …”

“…Pooideae pollen extracts demonstrate significant IgE cross-reactivity [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. Neither in vitro diagnosis nor skin prick tests carried out with such extracts can incriminate a given grass species in sensitisation.…”

Plant pollination of a low intensity as causal agent of seasonal allergy

“…Іншими дослідженнями встановлений низький рівень про-вокування симптомів пилком осики (Populus tremula) [17], алергени виділені із п.з. бузку та бузини [24], описаний клінічний випадок сенсибілізації до пилку калини, який проявив себе як сильний алергенний фактор [5]. П.з.…”