Gibberellin‐regulated protein sensitization in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollen allergic Japanese cohorts

Abstract

To the Editor, Pollen-food allergy syndromes (PFAS) have been clinically reported and are based on structurally similar sensitizing allergens in pollen and plant food. Besides PR-10 or LTP allergens, the recently described Gibberellin-regulated proteins (GRP) are also allergens found in pollen and plant derived food, therefore are allergens involved in PFAS. 1,2 They are found in Cupressaceae pollen and some fruits such as peach/apricot, citrus, pomegranate, and cherry. 3 The aim of the study was to compare GRP sensitization in two cohorts of Japanese children allergic to Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica, Cryj) pollen: group 1 allergic to pollen-only (n = 21), group 2 allergic to pollen and fruit (n = 22) suffering from systemic reaction (Table 1). Clinical data of recruited allergic patients were recorded at the department of pediatrics, Sagamihara National Hospital. Allergomics analysis was performed using direct or competitive IgE immunoblots after separation of the Japanese cedar pollen extracts in electrophoresis in 1 dimension (1-DE) or 2-DE followed by identification of allergens by mass spectrometry. Recombinant pollen and fruit GRPs were produced.Associated fruit IgE-dependent allergy in group 2 mainly involved peach, citrus, and apple but also cherry, Japanese apricot, strawberry, and grape. In a cohort of fruit-only allergic children,

When the Frequencies of Sensitization and Elicitation of Allergic Reaction Do Not Correlate—The Case of Apple Gibberellin-Regulated Protein Tested in an Italian Population

“…In fact, the nsLTP fold enables the formation of a hydrophobic tunnel-like cavity where hydrophobic ligands with different sizes can be accommodated (31,37). Similar to nsLTP, a GRP structure is predicted to form a cavity (12) where a ligand, such as biological lipids/membranes, can be bound (1). This is in agreement with the applemaclein modeling results (Figure 1C) showing that the surface of applemaclein is very irregular and there are some grooves/clefts that may potentially accommodate some small molecular ligands.…”

“…The cross-reactivity between the GRPs was suggested as a cause of multiple fruit allergies and the clinical cross-reactivity, at least among peach, Japanese apricot, orange, and pomegranate was proven ( 11 ). In addition to these fruits, the patients sensitized to GRP are frequently reported to experience allergic reactions against other fruits, such as apples ( 4 , 12 ).…”

“…Mal d 1 is a Bet v 1-like protein, Mal d 2 a thaumatin-like protein, Mal d 3 a 9 kDa nsLTP, and Mal d 4 a profilin ( 14 , 15 ). The published observation that the patients sensitized to GRP frequently reported allergic symptoms against apple ( 4 , 12 ), which, such as peach, taxonomically belongs to the Rosaceae family, suggested the presence in this fruit of a still uncharacterized allergen belonging to the GRP family.…”

CapsicumAllergy: Involvement of Cap a 7, a New Clinically Relevant Gibberellin-Regulated Protein Cross-Reactive With Cry j 7, the Gibberellin-Regulated Protein From Japanese Cedar Pollen

“…Proteins from Cryptomeria japonica (Cryj) pollen grains (10%, w:v) (Allergon AB, Angelholm, Sweden) were extracted as previously described. 13 …”

“…The patient’s clinical data were recorded at the Department of Pediatrics, National Hospital Organization Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. 13 Informed consent (validated by the Ethics Committee of the National Hospital Organization Sagamihara National Hospital) was obtained for each patient as well as for the approval from an ethical committee (#2013-201307916, #20141214 and #2019-038).…”