Rationale for Specific Immunotherapy of Grass Pollen Allergy with Extracts of Rye Pollen

Abstract

In immunotherapy of grass pollen allergy, an extract of rye (Secale cereale) is often included. The aim of this study was to investigate by skin prick test (SPT) and immunochemical methods whether rye pollen contains specific allergens justifying the use of this extract separately. Twenty grass pollen allergic patients were skin prick tested with a dialysed freeze-dried raw extract of rye pollen (Sc), timothy extract (Soluprick SQ, 1 HEP) and two other rye extracts (Soluprick). Sera from the patients were RAST-tested using Sc and timothy (Pp). CRIE was performed using Sc and rabbit-anti grass (aNG) antibodies. The antigenic relations between rye and common grasses were investigated by CLIE using Sc and aNG as references, and by RAST inhibition. The ability of aNG to absorb the allergen activity of Sc was also tested. Significant correlations were found between timothy and rye when compared by means of SPT and RAST. The immunochemical analyses did not reveal any rye antigens containing rye epitopes only. However, the possibility of rye antigens with several epitopes, of which at least one is specific for rye, could not be excluded. Clinical symptoms supposedly elicited by rye alone can be explained quantitatively by the strongly time-limited and concentrated natural exposition. Diagnosis and treatment can, however, be performed with extracts of common grasses.

Analysis of Rye Pollen <i>(Secale cereale)</i> Allergens Using Patients’ IgE, Immunoprint, Western Blot and Monoclonal Antibodies

“…Comparing the results obtained in this study to those achieved by CRIE [21,28] using the same amount of allergen, Immunoprint proves to be better in terms of time needed (1 day versus several days) and numbers of allergens recognized (more than 30 versus 16). Furthermore, there is no need to use radiolabeled second antibodies [36].…”

Group V allergens in grass pollens. II. Investigation of group V allergens in pollens from 10 grasses

“…The immunochemical divergence of group V and group I allergens has been hidden by the fact that the heavily radiostained group V precipitates usually are overlaying the rather badly defined group I precipitates. However, after reevaluation of elder CRIE investigations from our laboratory, the group I component is recognized as the group V 'shadow' in the precipitation patterns, for example Agl3 in an early investigation on Secale cereale [27].…”

Cross‐reactivity between pollen allergens from common Pooideae grasses and rye

“…This study also suggested that exposure to large amounts of S. cereale pollen, in patients living near rye cultivation areas, for example, does not result in a significantly higher rate of sensitization to S. cereale allergens when compared to D. glomerata (orchard grass) allergens. Skin prick tests performed in patients with a clear history of allergic rhinitis during the grass pollen season revealed that all patients were reactive to extracts made from either S. cereale pollen, or from pollens from L. perenne , P. pratensis , P. pratense , D. glomerata and A. odoratum [1, 7, 8].…”

“…Allergy to rye ( Secale cereale) pollen is frequent in northern Europe where this cereal is widely cultivated [1]. Rye is the only true wind‐pollinated cereal commonly grown in Europe and should not be confused with rye grass ( Lolium perenne ).…”