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Argyropoulos CD, Skoulou V, Efthimiou G, Michopoulos AK. Airborne transmission of biological agents within the indoor built environment: a multidisciplinary review. AIR QUALITY, ATMOSPHERE, & HEALTH 2022; 16:477-533. [PMID: 36467894 PMCID: PMC9703444 DOI: 10.1007/s11869-022-01286-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The nature and airborne dispersion of the underestimated biological agents, monitoring, analysis and transmission among the human occupants into building environment is a major challenge of today. Those agents play a crucial role in ensuring comfortable, healthy and risk-free conditions into indoor working and leaving spaces. It is known that ventilation systems influence strongly the transmission of indoor air pollutants, with scarce information although to have been reported for biological agents until 2019. The biological agents' source release and the trajectory of airborne transmission are both important in terms of optimising the design of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems of the future. In addition, modelling via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) will become a more valuable tool in foreseeing risks and tackle hazards when pollutants and biological agents released into closed spaces. Promising results on the prediction of their dispersion routes and concentration levels, as well as the selection of the appropriate ventilation strategy, provide crucial information on risk minimisation of the airborne transmission among humans. Under this context, the present multidisciplinary review considers four interrelated aspects of the dispersion of biological agents in closed spaces, (a) the nature and airborne transmission route of the examined agents, (b) the biological origin and health effects of the major microbial pathogens on the human respiratory system, (c) the role of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in the airborne transmission and (d) the associated computer modelling approaches. This adopted methodology allows the discussion of the existing findings, on-going research, identification of the main research gaps and future directions from a multidisciplinary point of view which will be helpful for substantial innovations in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vasiliki Skoulou
- B3 Challenge Group, Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX UK
| | - Georgios Efthimiou
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX UK
| | - Apostolos K. Michopoulos
- Energy & Environmental Design of Buildings Research Laboratory, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
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Li L, Hao D, Li X, Chen M, Zhou Y, Jurgens D, Asrar G, Sapkota A. Satellite-based phenology products and in-situ pollen dynamics: A comparative assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:111937. [PMID: 34464616 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing climate variability and change is impacting pollen exposure dynamics among sensitive populations. However, pollen data that can provide beneficial information to allergy experts and patients alike remains elusive. The lack of high spatial resolution pollen data has resulted in a growing interest in using phenology information that is derived using satellite observations to infer key pollen events including start of pollen season (SPS), timing of peak pollen season (PPS), and length of pollen season (LPS). However, it remains unclear if the agreement between satellite-based phenology information (e.g. start of season: SOS) and the in-situ pollen dynamics vary based on the type of satellite product itself or the processing methods used. To address this, we investigated the relationship between vegetation phenology indicator (SOS) derived from two separate sensor/satellite observations (MODIS, Landsat), and two different processing methods (double logistic regression (DLM) vs hybrid piecewise logistic regression (HPLM)) with in-situ pollen season dynamics (SPS, PPS, LPS) for three dominant allergenic tree pollen species (birch, oak, and poplar) that dominate the springtime allergy season in North America. Our results showed that irrespective of the data processing method (i.e. DLM vs HPLM), the MODIS-based SOS to be more closely aligned with the in-situ SPS, and PPS while upscaled Landsat based SOS had a better precision. The data products obtained using DLM processing methods tended to perform better than the HPLM based methods. We further showed that MODIS based phenology information along with temperature and latitude can be used to infer in-situ pollen dynamic for tree pollen during spring time. Our findings suggest that satellite-based phenology information may be useful in the development of early warning systems for allergic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linze Li
- School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering, Wuhan University, Hubei, 430079, China; Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | - Dalai Hao
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, College Park, MD, 20740, USA; State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xuecao Li
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Min Chen
- Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, College Park, MD, 20740, USA; Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
| | - Yuyu Zhou
- Department of Geology and Atmosphere Sciences, Iowa State University, IA, 50014, USA
| | - Dawn Jurgens
- Aerobiology Research Laboratories, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ghassam Asrar
- Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA
| | - Amir Sapkota
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, 20740, USA.
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Impact of Local Grasslands on Wild Grass Pollen Emission in Bavaria, Germany. LAND 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/land11020306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Meteorological conditions and the distribution of pollen sources are the two most decisive factors influencing the concentration of airborne grass pollen. However, knowledge about land-use types, their potential pollen emission, and the importance of local sources remains limited. In this study, wild grass pollen concentrations from 27 stations in Bavaria, Germany, were linked to potential pollen within a 30 km radius. Agricultural grass pollen sources were derived from the InVeKos database, which contains detailed information on agricultural land-use types and their spatial distribution. Non-agricultural grassland was identified by OpenStreetMap. Further source classification was conducted using a cultivation intensity indicator and wind direction. We show that the grassland percentage and pollen concentrations, specified as annual pollen integral and pollen peak vary strongly between pollen stations. Correlation analyses indicated that the impact of the grassland on pollen concentration was greater within 10 km of the pollen traps. At greater distances, the correlation coefficient between the grassland percentage and pollen indicators steadily declined.
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Comprehensive Study on Key Pollen Allergens. JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.22207/jpam.16.1.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollens are typically the primary reason for seasonal hypersensitivity caused in many people that are released by a hundred different species of plants for fertilization. Not all pollens are the same or have the same effect on human beings, there are those worse than others. The human body works out on a defence mechanism by creating certain reactions against those offensive pollens as a response by the immune system. The allergic reactions include sneezing, coughing, wheezing, itching, red-watery swelled eyes, runny nose, inflammation in the nasal passage frequently leading to rhinitis, asthma, skin irritation, and other respiratory disorders. This study is intended to acquire knowledge about a few plants with high allergenic properties along with their major allergens. It is evident that the pollination of the plants varies from season to season as it depends on various factors such as species, weather, and geographical location. Understanding these high allergenic plants with respect to their varying factors and cross-reacting properties is the purpose of this study. It is an effort to obtain deeper insights into these common pollen offenders.
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Schramm PJ, Brown CL, Saha S, Conlon KC, Manangan AP, Bell JE, Hess JJ. A systematic review of the effects of temperature and precipitation on pollen concentrations and season timing, and implications for human health. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:1615-1628. [PMID: 33877430 PMCID: PMC9016682 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02128-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Climate and weather directly impact plant phenology, affecting airborne pollen. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the impacts of meteorological variables on airborne pollen concentrations and pollen season timing. Using PRISMA methodology, we reviewed literature that assessed whether there was a relationship between local temperature and precipitation and measured airborne pollen. The search strategy included terms related to pollen, trends or measurements, and season timing. For inclusion, studies must have conducted a correlation analysis of at least 5 years of airborne pollen data to local meteorological data and report quantitative results. Data from peer-reviewed articles were extracted on the correlations between seven pollen indicators (main pollen season start date, end date, peak date, and length, annual pollen integral, average daily pollen concentration, and peak pollen concentration), and two meteorological variables (temperature and precipitation). Ninety-three articles were included in the analysis out of 9,679 articles screened. Overall, warmer temperatures correlated with earlier and longer pollen seasons and higher pollen concentrations. Precipitation had varying effects on pollen concentration and pollen season timing indicators. Increased precipitation may have a short-term effect causing low pollen concentrations potentially due to "wash out" effect. Long-term effects of precipitation varied for trees and weeds and had a positive correlation with grass pollen levels. With increases in temperature due to climate change, pollen seasons for some taxa in some regions may start earlier, last longer, and be more intense, which may be associated with adverse health impacts, as pollen exposure has well-known health effects in sensitized individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- P J Schramm
- Climate and Health Program, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
| | - C L Brown
- Climate and Health Program, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - S Saha
- Climate and Health Program, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - K C Conlon
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - A P Manangan
- Climate and Health Program, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - J E Bell
- Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - J J Hess
- Departments of Emergency Medicine, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and Global Health, and the Center for Health and the Global Environment, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Mountain cedar allergy: A review of current available literature. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2021; 128:645-651. [PMID: 34582944 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2021.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review the literature related to mountain cedar in terms of allergic disease and societal impact. DATA SOURCES English-language articles obtained through PubMed searches with relevance to mountain cedar allergies. STUDY SELECTIONS Articles with the following search terms were included: mountain cedar, Juniperus ashei, juniper, allergy, pollen, cedar fever, Jun a 1, and San Antonio. RESULTS A total of 61 relevant articles were selected regarding mountain cedar and its distribution, phylogenetics, allergens, potency, cross-reactivity, pollen counting and monitoring, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and future research. CONCLUSION Mountain cedar remains a major cause of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in the south central United States during the winter months. Key treatment strategies involve a combination of allergen avoidance, pharmacologic therapy, and subcutaneous immunotherapy. Allergists can help affected patients in their management of "cedar fever."
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Ellis AK, Gagnon R, Hammerby E, Shen J, Gosain S. Sublingual immunotherapy tablet: a cost-minimizing alternative in the treatment of tree pollen-induced seasonal allergic rhinitis in Canada. ALLERGY, ASTHMA, AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 17:66. [PMID: 34238358 PMCID: PMC8264484 DOI: 10.1186/s13223-021-00565-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A cost-minimization analysis (CMA) was performed to evaluate the economic implications of introducing the SQ Tree sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)-tablets marketed as ITULATEK® (Health Canada regulatory approval in April 2020) for the treatment of pollen-induced (birch, alder and/or hazel) seasonal allergic rhinitis in Canada (Ontario and Quebec), where Tree Pollen subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is already an available treatment option. METHODS A CMA was deemed appropriate and was based on the assumption that the SQ Tree SLIT-tablets have comparable efficacy to Tree Pollen SCIT. A societal perspective was adopted in the model, including relevant costs of medications, costs of health care services, and productivity losses. The time horizon in the model was three years, which corresponds to a minimal treatment course of allergy immunotherapy. Resource use and costs were based on published sources, where available, and validated by Canadian specialist clinicians (allergists) in active practice in Ontario and in Quebec, where applicable. A discount rate of 1.5% was applied in accordance with the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) guidelines. To assess the robustness of the results, scenario analyses were performed by testing alternative assumptions for selected parameters (e.g., Tree Pollen SCIT resource use, discount rates, number of injections, annual SCIT dosing with maintenance injections, and nurse time support), to evaluate their impact on the results of the analysis. RESULTS The direct costs, including the drug costs, and physician services costs, for three years of treatment, were similar for both SQ Tree SLIT-tablets vs. Tree Pollen SCIT in both Ontario and Quebec ($2799.01 and $2838.70 vs. $2233.76 and $2266.05 respectively). However, when the indirect costs (including patient's travel expenses and lost working hours) are included in the model, total savings for the treatment with SQ Tree SLIT-tablets of $1111.79 for Ontario and $1199.87 for Quebec were observed. Scenario analyses were conducted and showed that changes in assumptions continue to result in the savings of SQ Tree SLIT- tablets over Tree Pollen SCIT. CONCLUSIONS The CMA indicates that SQ Tree SLIT-tablets are a cost-minimizing alternative to Tree Pollen SCIT when considered from a societal perspective in Ontario and Quebec.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne K. Ellis
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON Canada
| | - Rémi Gagnon
- Service D’Allergie Et Immunologie, Département de Médecine, CHU de Québec, Québec City, QC Canada
| | | | - Julia Shen
- PDCI Market Access Inc., Ottawa, ON Canada
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Visez N, de Nadaï P, Choël M, Farah J, Hamzé M, Sénéchal H, Pauwels M, Frérot H, Thibaudon M, Poncet P. Biochemical composition of Phleum pratense pollen grains: A review. Mol Immunol 2021; 136:98-109. [PMID: 34098345 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The Poaceae family is composed of 12,000 plant species. Some of these species produce highly allergenic anemophilous pollen grains (PGs). Phleum pratense pollen grains (PPPGs) emerged as a model for studies related to grass allergy. The biochemical composition of allergenic PGs has not yet been fully described despite potential health effects of PG constituents other than allergenic proteins. This review brings together the information available in literature aiming at creating a comprehensive picture of the current knowledge about the chemical composition of allergenic PGs from timothy grass. PPPGs have an average diameter between 30-35 μm and the mass of a single PG was reported between 11 and 26 ng. The pollen cytoplasm is filled with two types of pollen cytoplasmic granules (PCGs): the starch granules and the polysaccharide particles (p-particles). Starch granules have a size between 0.6-2.5 μm with an average diameter of 1.1 μm (estimated number of 1000 granules per PG) while p-particles have a size ranging around 0.3 to 0.4 μm (estimated number between 61,000-230,000 p-particles per PG). The rupture of PG induces the release of PCGs and the dispersion of allergens in the inhalable fraction of atmospheric aerosol. PPPGs are composed of sporopollenin, sugars, polysaccharides, starch, glycoproteins (including allergens), amino-acids, lipids, flavonoids (including isorhamnetin), various elements (the more abundant being Si, Mg and Ca), phenolic compounds, phytoprostanoids, carotenoids (pigments) metals and adsorbed pollutants. PPPG contains about a hundred different proteins with molecular masses ranging from 10 to 94 kDa, with isoelectric points from 3.5-10.6. Among these proteins, allergens are classified in eleven groups from 1 to 13 with allergens from groups 1 and 5 being the major contributors to Phl p pollen allergy. Major allergen Phl p 5 was quantified in PPPGs by several studies with concentration ranging from 2.7 and 3.5 μg.mg-1 in unpolluted environment. Values for other allergens are scarce in literature; only one quantitative assessment exists for allergen groups Phl p 1, 2 and 4. The extractible lipid fraction of PPPGs is estimated between 1.7-2.2% of the total PG mass. The main chemical families of lipids reported in PPPGs are: alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, di- and tri-hydroxylated fatty acids, aldehydes and sterols. Several lipid compounds with potential adjuvant effects on allergy have been specifically quantified in PPPGs: E2-like prostaglandin (PGE2), B4-like leukotriene (LTB4), unsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acids and their hydroxylated derivatives), adenosine, vitamins and phenolic compounds. Some other biochemical characteristics such as NAD(P)H oxidase, protease activity and pollen microbiome were described in the literature. The bioaccessibility in physiological conditions has not been described for most biochemicals transported by allergenic PPPGs. There is also a considerable lack of knowledge about the potential health effects of pollen constituents other than allergens. The variability of pollen composition remains also largely unknown despite its importance for plant reproduction and allergy in an environment characterized by chemical pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Visez
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8522 - PC2A - Physicochimie des Processus de Combustion et de l'Atmosphère, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Patricia de Nadaï
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Marie Choël
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8516 - LASIRE - Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Interactions, la Réactivité et l'Environnement, F-59000, Lille, France.
| | - Jinane Farah
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8522 - PC2A - Physicochimie des Processus de Combustion et de l'Atmosphère, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Mona Hamzé
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8522 - PC2A - Physicochimie des Processus de Combustion et de l'Atmosphère, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8516 - LASIRE - Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Interactions, la Réactivité et l'Environnement, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Hélène Sénéchal
- Immunology Department, Allergy & Environment Team, Children Armand Trousseau Hospital APHP, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Pauwels
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8516 - LASIRE - Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Interactions, la Réactivité et l'Environnement, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Hélène Frérot
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8516 - LASIRE - Laboratoire Avancé de Spectroscopie pour les Interactions, la Réactivité et l'Environnement, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Michel Thibaudon
- Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique, Le Plat du Pin, 69690, Brussieu, France
| | - Pascal Poncet
- Immunology Department, Allergy & Environment Team, Children Armand Trousseau Hospital APHP, 75012, Paris, France; Immunology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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Penczykowski RM, Sieg RD. Plantago spp. as Models for Studying the Ecology and Evolution of Species Interactions across Environmental Gradients. Am Nat 2021; 198:158-176. [PMID: 34143715 DOI: 10.1086/714589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractA central challenge in ecology and evolutionary biology is to understand how variation in abiotic and biotic factors combine to shape the distribution, abundance, and diversity of focal species. Environmental gradients, whether natural (e.g., latitude, elevation, ocean proximity) or anthropogenic (e.g., land-use intensity, urbanization), provide compelling settings for addressing this challenge. However, not all organisms are amenable to the observational and experimental approaches required for untangling the factors that structure species along gradients. Here we highlight herbaceous plants in the genus Plantago as models for studying the ecology and evolution of species interactions along abiotic gradients. Plantago lanceolata and P. major are native to Europe and Asia but distributed globally, and they are established models for studying population ecology and interactions with herbivores, pathogens, and soil microbes. Studying restricted range congeners in comparison with those cosmopolitan species can provide insight into abiotic and biotic determinants of range size and population structure. We highlight one such species, P. rugelii, which is endemic to eastern North America. We give an overview of the literature on these focal Plantago species and explain why they are logical candidates for studies of species interactions across environmental gradients. Finally, we emphasize collaborative and community science approaches that can facilitate such research and note the amenability of Plantago for authentic research projects in science education.
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Nolte H, Waserman S, Ellis AK, Biedermann T, Würtzen PA. Treatment Effect of the Tree Pollen SLIT-Tablet on Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis During Oak Pollen Season. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2021; 9:1871-1878. [PMID: 33548518 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birch, alder, hazel, and oak are members of the birch homologous group based on cross-reactivity toward the birch pollen allergen Betula verrucosa 1. Theoretically, allergy to these tree pollens may be treated by immunotherapy with one representative allergen extract. OBJECTIVE To evaluate post hoc whether treatment of birch pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with a standardized tree sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)-tablet containing birch pollen extract reduces symptoms and symptom-relieving medication use during the oak pollen season (OPS). METHODS In a randomized, multinational, double-blind trial (EudraCT-2015-004821-15), 634 participants (ages 12-65 years) received daily tree SLIT-tablet (12 SQ-Bet) or placebo before and during tree pollen season (alder/hazel plus birch pollen season [BPS]). Symptom-relieving medication was allowed. The primary end point was the average total combined score (sum of rhinoconjunctivitis daily symptom score and daily medication score) during BPS. Outcomes during the OPS (excluding overlapping BPS days) were analyzed post hoc. RESULTS Relative improvements in average total combined score, daily symptom score, and daily medication score with the tree SLIT-tablet versus placebo during the OPS were 25%, 22%, and 32%, respectively (all P < .001). Significant correlations were observed between birch and oak serum immunoglobulin E (sIgE) at baseline (r = 0.86) and between birch and oak IgG4 after treatment (r = 0.72). Oak sIgE and IgG4 kinetics in response to tree SLIT-tablet treatment were similar to birch. CONCLUSIONS The tree SLIT-tablet leads to significant improvement of rhinoconjunctivitis outcomes during the OPS, supporting the clinical relevance of immunological cross-reactivity toward birch and oak allergens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susan Waserman
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Anne K Ellis
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Tilo Biedermann
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Al-Nesf MA, Gharbi D, Mobayed HM, Dason BR, Mohammed Ali R, Taha S, Tuffaha A, Adeli M, Sattar HA, Trigo MDM. The association between airborne pollen monitoring and sensitization in the hot desert climate. Clin Transl Allergy 2020; 10:35. [PMID: 32788950 PMCID: PMC7416415 DOI: 10.1186/s13601-020-00339-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pollen is a major cause of allergic respiratory diseases. In Qatar, data on the presence and prevalence of allergenic airborne types of pollen is quite limited. Methods The study aimed to determine and correlate the most frequently implicated airborne pollen detected by aerobiological monitoring samplers in respiratory allergy symptoms. An aerobiological survey was started on May 8, 2017. Airborne pollen was collected using two Hirst type seven-day recorder volumetric traps. Skin prick test in patients attending allergy clinics in Doha using commercial extracts was conducted. Results Twenty-five pollen types representing the native, as well as the introduced plants, with a relatively low daily mean concentration were observed from May 2017 to May 2019. The highest pollen concentrations were reached by Amaranthaceae (58.9%), followed by Poaceae (21.7%). SPT revealed a comparatively higher degree of sensitization to pollen. Among 940 patients, 204 were sensitized to pollen (54% female) with 135 (66.2%) and 114 (55.8%) to Amaranthaceae and Poaceae, respectively. Some patients had polysensitization. There was a statistically significant association between Amaranthaceae, and asthma (r = 0.169, P = 0.016) and allergic rhinitis (r = 0.177, P = 0.012). Conclusions This is the first study to monitor airborne pollen in the state of Qatar. The main pollen detected were Amaranthaceae and Poaceae. Pollen may represent a possible exacerbating factor in adult patients with allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam A Al-Nesf
- Allergy and Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Dorra Gharbi
- Allergy and Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar.,Department of Plant Biology, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos, Malaga, Spain
| | - Hassan M Mobayed
- Allergy and Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Blessing Reena Dason
- Allergy and Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Ramzy Mohammed Ali
- Allergy and Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Salma Taha
- Allergy and Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | | | | | - Hisham A Sattar
- Pulmonary Division, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Maria Del Mar Trigo
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Malaga, Campus de Teatinos, Malaga, Spain
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Würtzen PA, Hoof I, Christensen LH, Váczy Z, Henmar H, Salamanca G, Lundegaard C, Lund L, Kráľova T, Brooks EG, Andersen PS. Diverse and highly cross-reactive T-cell responses in ragweed allergic patients independent of geographical region. Allergy 2020; 75:137-147. [PMID: 31325327 DOI: 10.1111/all.13992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
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 IgG4 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 cross-reactive 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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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ilka Hoof
- Global Research ALK Hørsholm Denmark
| | | | - Zuzana Váczy
- Louis Pasteur University Hospital Košice Slovak Republic
| | | | | | | | - Lise Lund
- Global Research ALK Hørsholm Denmark
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13
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Skjøth CA, Sun Y, Karrer G, Sikoparija B, Smith M, Schaffner U, Müller-Schärer H. Predicting abundances of invasive ragweed across Europe using a "top-down" approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 686:212-222. [PMID: 31176820 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is a widely distributed and harmful invasive plant that is an important source of highly allergenic pollen grains and a prominent crop weed. As a result, ragweed causes huge costs to both human health and agriculture in affected areas. Efficient mitigation requires accurate mapping of ragweed densities that, until now, has not been achieved accurately for the whole of Europe. Here we provide two inventories of common ragweed abundances with grid resolutions of 1 km and 10 km. These "top-down" inventories integrate pollen data from 349 stations in Europe with habitat and landscape management information, derived from land cover data and expert knowledge. This allows us to cover areas where surface observations are missing. Model results were validated using "bottom-up" data of common ragweed in Austria and Serbia. Results show high agreement between the two analytical methods. The inventory shows that areas with the lowest ragweed abundances are found in Northern and Southern European countries and the highest abundances are in parts of Russia, parts of Ukraine and the Pannonian Plain. Smaller hotspots are found in Northern Italy, the Rhône Valley in France and in Turkey. The top-down approach is based on a new approach that allows for cross-continental studies and is applicable to other anemophilous species. Due to its simplicity, it can be used to investigate such species that are difficult and costly to identify at larger scales using traditional vegetation surveys or remote sensing. The final inventory is open source and available as a georeferenced tif file, allowing for multiple usages, reducing costs for health services and agriculture through well-targeted management interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Ambelas Skjøth
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ Worcester, United Kingdom.
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Biology/Ecology & Evolution, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Karrer
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Branko Sikoparija
- BioSense Institute - Research Institute for Information Technologies in Biosystems, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Matt Smith
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ Worcester, United Kingdom
| | - Urs Schaffner
- Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, Rue des Grillons 1, CH-2800 Delémont, Switzerland
| | - Heinz Müller-Schärer
- Department of Biology/Ecology & Evolution, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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14
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Nath P, Adams K, Gomez R, Quinn J, Crisp H. A volumetric survey of aeroallergens in San Antonio. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2019; 8:404-406.e1. [PMID: 31279040 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Priya Nath
- San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, Tex; Wilford Hall Allergy and Immunology Clinic, San Antonio, Tex.
| | - Karla Adams
- San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, Tex
| | - Robert Gomez
- Wilford Hall Allergy and Immunology Clinic, San Antonio, Tex
| | - James Quinn
- San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, Tex
| | - Howard Crisp
- North Texas Allergy and Asthma Associates, Dallas, Tex
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15
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Wu PC, Su HJ, Lung SCC, Chen MJ, Lin WP. Pollen of Broussonetia papyrifera: An emerging aeroallergen associated with allergic illness in Taiwan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 657:804-810. [PMID: 30677945 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pollen has long been recognized as a major allergen, having diverse patterns of allergenicity caused by differences in climate, geography, and vegetation. Our research aimed to explore the role of a regionally dominant pollen in Taiwan, Broussonetia papyrifera, on clinical sensitization and daily 5collected and extracted for a skin prick test on 30 volunteers recruited from a medical college. Daily atmospheric pollen levels were measured using a Burkard 7-day volumetric trap. The association between daily atmospheric pollen levels and clinic visits for allergic illness was examined using a generalized additive model with a normal assumption. After excluding four participants with a positive response to a negative control, 10 participants (38.4%) were determined to be sensitive to B. papyrifera pollen extract. The three-day lagged concentration of B. papyrifera pollen exhibited the highest risk of daily asthma visits (relative risk [RR] = 1.166, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.014-1.341) and allergic rhinitis visits (RR = 1.119, 95% CI: 0.916-1.367) when the pollen increased equally in magnitude to its mean. Our study is the first to provide evidence indicating that the most dominant airborne pollen in Taiwan, B. papyrifera, plays a major role in sensitization and clinic visits for asthma and allergic rhinitis, thus highlighting the need to integrate aeroallergen monitoring with clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Chih Wu
- Department of Occupational and Safety and Health, Chang Jung Christian University, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Huey-Jen Su
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, ROC.
| | | | - Mu-Jean Chen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, ROC; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wei-Ping Lin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, ROC
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16
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Mansouritorghabeh H, Jabbari-Azad F, Sankian M, Varasteh A, Farid-Hosseini R. The Most Common Allergenic Tree Pollen Grains in the Middle East: A Narrative Review. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2019; 44:87-98. [PMID: 30936595 PMCID: PMC6423439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Allergy is becoming a major disease burden globally. Pollens are considered as the main component of aeroallergens that lead to rhinitis and asthma. Due to the lack of a comprehensive investigation on most allergic pollens of trees in the Middle East, the present study aimed to conduct a comprehensive literature review on this topic. The main goal of the study was to provide a checklist for allergists and patients to easily identify the commonest allergic pollens in their locality. The present review provides a broad range of information on the types and geographic locations of the most common allergic pollens of trees in each studied country. In general, among the 23 studied countries, palm and mesquite trees were the common producers of pollen allergen in the Persian Gulf region. Olive tree is common in Turkey, Palestine, and Israel, whereas sycamore tree is the common allergen pollen in Iran. Considering the uneven geographical distribution of these trees in the world, allergists are unable to accurately select the appropriate extracts for the skin prick test based on the information from the neighboring countries. This scenario becomes more complicated if one adds the imported ornamental trees in the picture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Farahzad Jabbari-Azad
- Allergy Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran;
,Department of Immununology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran;
| | - Mojtaba Sankian
- Department of Immununology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran;
,Immunology Research Center, Bouali Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Abdolreza Varasteh
- Department of Immununology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran;
,Immunology Research Center, Bouali Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Reza Farid-Hosseini
- Allergy Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran;
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17
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Shhagapsoev SH, Chadaeva VA, Tsepkova NL, Shhagapsoeva KA. Materials for the Blacklist of the Central Caucasus Flora (for the Kabardino-Balkar Republic). RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s2075111718040124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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18
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Green BJ, Levetin E, Horner WE, Codina R, Barnes CS, Filley WV. Landscape Plant Selection Criteria for the Allergic Patient. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2018; 6:1869-1876. [PMID: 30097356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Patients with pollen-related allergies are concerned about the species within their landscape that provoke their symptoms. Allergists are often asked for guidance but few information sources are available to aid patients in the recognition of allergenic plants and strategies to avoid personal exposure to them. Landscaping and horticultural workers also have few reliable guidance references, and what is available usually extols the virtues of the plants rather than their negative features. The aim of this article was to provide the results of the Landscape Allergen Working Group that was formed by the AAAAI Aerobiology Committee, which aimed to fill these existing knowledge gaps and develop guidance on producing a low-allergenic landscape. Within the context that complete pollen avoidance is unrealistic, the workgroup introduces selection criteria, avoidance strategies, and guidance on low-allergenic plants that could be selected by patients to reduce the overall pollen burden in their landscape environment. Specific focus is placed on entomophilous plants, which require insects as dispersal vectors and generally produce lower quantities of pollen, compared with anemophilous (wind-pollinated) species. Other biological hazards that can be encountered while performing landscaping activities are additionally reviewed and avoidance methods presented with the aim of protecting gardeners, and workers in the landscape and horticulture industries. The guidance presented in this article will ultimately be a helpful resource for the allergist and assist in engaging patients who are seeking to reduce the burden of allergen in their landscape environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett J Green
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WVa.
| | - Estelle Levetin
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Okla
| | | | | | - Charles S Barnes
- Division of Allergy/Immunology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Mo
| | - Warren V Filley
- Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Okla
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19
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Sierra-Heredia C, North M, Brook J, Daly C, Ellis AK, Henderson D, Henderson SB, Lavigne É, Takaro TK. Aeroallergens in Canada: Distribution, Public Health Impacts, and Opportunities for Prevention. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E1577. [PMID: 30044421 PMCID: PMC6121311 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15081577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aeroallergens occur naturally in the environment and are widely dispersed across Canada, yet their public health implications are not well-understood. This review intends to provide a scientific and public health-oriented perspective on aeroallergens in Canada: their distribution, health impacts, and new developments including the effects of climate change and the potential role of aeroallergens in the development of allergies and asthma. The review also describes anthropogenic effects on plant distribution and diversity, and how aeroallergens interact with other environmental elements, such as air pollution and weather events. Increased understanding of the relationships between aeroallergens and health will enhance our ability to provide accurate information, improve preventive measures and provide timely treatments for affected populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michelle North
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H7, Canada.
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences and Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada.
- Allergy Research Unit, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada.
| | - Jeff Brook
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada.
| | - Christina Daly
- Air Quality Health Index, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada.
| | - Anne K Ellis
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences and Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada.
- Allergy Research Unit, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada.
| | - Dave Henderson
- Health and Air Quality Services, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Sarah B Henderson
- Environmental Health Services, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4R4, Canada.
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Éric Lavigne
- Air Health Science Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada.
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada.
| | - Tim K Takaro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
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20
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The molecular allergology of subtropical grass pollen. Mol Immunol 2018; 100:126-135. [PMID: 29778490 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2018.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Grass pollens are amongst the most important aeroallergen sources world-wide triggering allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma in sensitised patients. Much of what we know about the allergen components of grasses is informed by research on pollen of temperate (Pooideae) species that are abundant in the temperate climate zones. However, climate changes are altering the biogeographical distribution as well as timing and allergenicity of grass pollens. This provides an impetus for better understanding of the contribution of subtropical subfamilies of grasses to pollen allergy globally. Pollen of Chloridoideae (e.g. Cynodon dactylon; Bermuda grass) and Panicoideae (e.g. Paspalum notatum; Bahia grass or Sorghum halepense; Johnson grass) subfamilies are clinically important in subtropical zones of Australia, Asia, India, Africa, and America. These grasses differ ecologically and phylogenetically from temperate grasses and, importantly their allergen composition is qualitatively different. For example, subtropical grass pollens appear to lack the major group 5 grass pollen allergen family. In this review we summarize current knowledge of the epidemiology and immunology of subtropical Chloridoideae and Pancoideae pollen allergens, describe the biochemical characteristics of known isoforms and variants as well as properties and structures of subtropical pollen allergen components. Whilst only one subtropical allergen component; Cyn d 1 of Bermuda grass pollen, is available commercially for diagnostic use, in a natural purified form, a number of allergens of Panicoideae grass pollen; Zea m 1, Zea m 3 and Zea m 13 of maize, Pas n 1 and Pas n 13 of Bahia, as well as Sor h 1, Sor h 2, Sor h 13 and Sor h 23 of Johnson grass, have been discovered. Research effort is directed towards making available subtropical grass pollen allergen components as innovative treatment and diagnostic options that more specifically address the needs of patients from warmer regions of the globe.
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21
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Creticos PS, Pfaar O. Ragweed sublingual tablet immunotherapy: part I - evidence-based clinical efficacy and safety. Immunotherapy 2018; 10:605-616. [PMID: 29634392 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2017-0186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Sublingual tablet immunotherapy provides an attractive alternative approach to allergen immunotherapy, as the allergen is administered as a rapidly dissolving sublingual tablet. Part I of this two-part series on the ragweed sublingual tablet describes the dose-ranging clinical work, the safety studies and the clinical outcomes from the pivotal trials which provide clear evidence for statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit in the treatment of patients suffering from ragweed-induced seasonal allergic rhinitis-conjunctivitis with or without milder asthma. The robust results observed in the clinical trials performed with the ragweed sublingual tablet are defined by the quality of their study design, their use of a standardized allergen extract, their consistent reproducibility in demonstrating therapeutic efficacy and their properly quantified and graded safety data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Socrates Creticos
- Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.,Creticos Research Group, Crownsville, MD 21032, USA
| | - Oliver Pfaar
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Center for Rhinology & Allergology Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany
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22
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Cebrino J, García-Castaño JL, Domínguez-Vilches E, Galán C. Spatio-temporal flowering patterns in Mediterranean Poaceae. A community study in SW Spain. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2018; 62:513-523. [PMID: 28988310 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-017-1461-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This study focused on phenological timing and spatial patterns in 30 Poaceae species flowering in spring in different types of plant cover (scrub, riverbank and pasture). Grass community composition was studied, and the influence of species and plant cover on the start date and duration of flowering was assessed from March to June in both 2014 and 2015. Twenty-nine sampling sites were selected for phenological monitoring using the BBCH scale. Data were subjected to GLMM analyses. Binary discriminant analysis revealed differences in grass community composition as a function of plant cover type; scrub cover comprised a considerably larger number of species than those in riverbank and pasture. Moreover, more species diversity was observed in 2014 than in 2015 with a drier and stressed pre-flowering period. Differences on phenology were also recorded between plant cover types and study years. Species in pasture and riverbank flowered before (113.4 days; 116.1 days) than species in scrub (120.9 days), being these species with shorter flowering length because they are more exposed to the characteristic of the Mediterranean region during the summer. In general, flowering onset occurred later in 2014 (118.2 days) than in 2015 (115.8 days), probably attributable to precipitation occurring during March. On the other hand, spatial autocorrelation within some cover types has been observed, showing spatial patterns exist at a smaller scale. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of grass phenology in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cebrino
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
| | - J L García-Castaño
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - E Domínguez-Vilches
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - C Galán
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
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Weinberger KR, Kinney PL, Robinson GS, Sheehan D, Kheirbek I, Matte TD, Lovasi GS. Levels and determinants of tree pollen in New York City. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2018; 28:119-124. [PMID: 28000684 PMCID: PMC5479752 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2016.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to allergenic tree pollen is a risk factor for multiple allergic disease outcomes. Little is known about how tree pollen levels vary within cities and whether such variation affects the development or exacerbation of allergic disease. Accordingly, we collected integrated pollen samples at uniform height at 45 sites across New York City during the 2013 pollen season. We used these monitoring results in combination with adjacent land use data to develop a land use regression model for tree pollen. We evaluated four types of land use variables for inclusion in the model: tree canopy, distributed building height (a measure of building volume density), elevation, and distance to water. When included alone in the model, percent tree canopy cover within a 0.5 km radial buffer explained 39% of the variance in tree pollen (1.9% increase in tree pollen per one-percentage point increase in tree canopy cover, P<0.0001). The inclusion of additional variables did not improve model fit. We conclude that intra-urban variation in tree canopy is an important driver of tree pollen exposure. Land use regression models can be used to incorporate spatial variation in tree pollen exposure in studies of allergic disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R. Weinberger
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Patrick L. Kinney
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Guy S. Robinson
- Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station, Fordham University, Armonk, New York, 10504, USA
- Department of Natural Sciences, Fordham College at Lincoln Center, New York, NY, 10023, USA
| | - Daniel Sheehan
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Iyad Kheirbek
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York, NY, 10012, USA
| | - Thomas D. Matte
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York, NY, 10012, USA
| | - Gina S. Lovasi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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24
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García-Mozo H. Poaceae pollen as the leading aeroallergen worldwide: A review. Allergy 2017; 72:1849-1858. [PMID: 28543717 DOI: 10.1111/all.13210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The Poaceae family comprises over 12 000 wind-pollinated species, which release large amounts of pollen into the atmosphere. Poaceae pollen is currently regarded as the leading airborne biological pollutant and the chief cause of pollen allergy worldwide. Sensitization rates vary by country, and those variations are reviewed here. Grass pollen allergens are grouped according to their protein structure and function. In Poaceae, although species belonging to different subfamilies are characterized by distinct allergen subsets, there is a considerable degree of cross-reactivity between many species. Cross-reactivity between grass pollen protein and fresh fruit pan-allergens is associated with the appearance of food allergies. The additional influence of urban pollution may prompt a more severe immunological response. The timing and the intensity of the pollen season are governed by species genetics, but plant phenology is also influenced by climate; as a result, climate changes may affect airborne pollen concentrations. This article reviews the findings of worldwide research which has highlighted the major impact of climate change on plant phenology and also on the prevalence and severity of allergic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. García-Mozo
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology; University of Córdoba; Córdoba Spain
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25
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Hugg TT, Hjort J, Antikainen H, Rusanen J, Tuokila M, Korkonen S, Weckström J, Jaakkola MS, Jaakkola JJK. Urbanity as a determinant of exposure to grass pollen in Helsinki Metropolitan area, Finland. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186348. [PMID: 29023565 PMCID: PMC5638505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the levels of exposure to grass pollen in urban environments. We assessed the spatio-temporal variation of grass pollen concentrations and the role of urbanity as a determinant of grass pollen exposure in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. We monitored grass pollen concentrations in 2013 at 16 sites during the peak pollen season by using rotorod-type samplers at the breathing height. The sites were in the cities of Helsinki and Espoo, Finland, and formed city-specific lines that represented urban-rural gradient. The monitoring sites were both visually and based on land use data ranked as high to low (graded 1 to 8) pollen area. The lowest grass pollen concentrations were observed in the most urban sites compared to the least urban sites (mean 3.6 vs. 6.8 grains/m3 in Helsinki; P<0.0001, and 5.2 vs. 87.5 grains/m3 in Espoo; P<0.0001). Significant differences were observed between concentrations measured in morning periods compared to afternoon periods (4.9 vs. 5.4 in Helsinki, P = 0.0186, and 21.8 vs. 67.1 in Espoo, P = 0.0004). The mean pollen concentration increased with decreasing urbanity both in Helsinki (0.59 grains/m3 per urbanity rank, 95% CI 0.25–0.93) and Espoo (8.42, 6.23–10.61). Pollen concentrations were highest in the afternoons and they were related to the ambient temperature. Urbanity was a strong and significant determinant of pollen exposure in two Finnish cities. Pollen exposure can periodically reach such high levels even in the most urban environments that can cause allergic reactions among individuals with allergies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo T. Hugg
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jan Hjort
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | - Jarmo Rusanen
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Mirkka Tuokila
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Sanna Korkonen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jan Weckström
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maritta S. Jaakkola
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jouni J. K. Jaakkola
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- * E-mail:
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Ellis AK, Frankish CW, O'Hehir RE, Armstrong K, Steacy L, Larché M, Hafner RP. Treatment with grass allergen peptides improves symptoms of grass pollen–induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017; 140:486-496. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.11.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Molecular features of grass allergens and development of biotechnological approaches for allergy prevention. Biotechnol Adv 2017; 35:545-556. [PMID: 28535924 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2017.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Allergic diseases are characterized by elevated allergen-specific IgE and excessive inflammatory cell responses. Among the reported plant allergens, grass pollen and grain allergens, derived from agriculturally important members of the Poaceae family such as rice, wheat and barley, are the most dominant and difficult to prevent. Although many allergen homologs have been predicted from species such as wheat and timothy grass, fundamental aspects such as the evolution and function of plant pollen allergens remain largely unclear. With the development of genetic engineering and genomics, more primary sequences, functions and structures of plant allergens have been uncovered, and molecular component-based allergen-specific immunotherapies are being developed. In this review, we aim to provide an update on (i) the distribution and importance of pollen and grain allergens of the Poaceae family, (ii) the origin and evolution, and functional aspects of plant pollen allergens, (iii) developments of allergen-specific immunotherapy for pollen allergy using biotechnology and (iv) development of less allergenic plants using gene engineering techniques. We also discuss future trends in revealing fundamental aspects of grass pollen allergens and possible biotechnological approaches to reduce the amount of pollen allergens in grasses.
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Rasmussen K, Thyrring J, Muscarella R, Borchsenius F. Climate-change-induced range shifts of three allergenic ragweeds ( Ambrosia L.) in Europe and their potential impact on human health. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3104. [PMID: 28321366 PMCID: PMC5357339 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive allergenic plant species may have severe health-related impacts. In this study we aim to predict the effects of climate change on the distribution of three allergenic ragweed species (Ambrosia spp.) in Europe and discuss the potential associated health impact. We built species distribution models based on presence-only data for three ragweed species, using MAXENT software. Future climatic habitat suitability was modeled under two IPCC climate change scenarios (RCP 6.0 and RCP 8.5). We quantify the extent of the increase in 'high allergy risk' (HAR) areas, i.e., parts of Europe with climatic conditions corresponding to the highest quartile (25%) of present day habitat suitability for each of the three species. We estimate that by year 2100, the distribution range of all three ragweed species increases towards Northern and Eastern Europe under all climate scenarios. HAR areas will expand in Europe by 27-100%, depending on species and climate scenario. Novel HAR areas will occur mostly in Denmark, France, Germany, Russia and the Baltic countries, and overlap with densely populated cities such as Paris and St. Petersburg. We conclude that areas in Europe affected by severe ragweed associated allergy problems are likely to increase substantially by year 2100, affecting millions of people. To avoid this, management strategies must be developed that restrict ragweed dispersal and establishment of new populations. Precautionary efforts should limit the spread of ragweed seeds and reduce existing populations. Only by applying cross-countries management plans can managers mitigate future health risks and economical consequences of a ragweed expansion in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Rasmussen
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Astma-Allergi Danmark, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jakob Thyrring
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Robert Muscarella
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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Vanga SK, Jain M, Raghavan V. Significance of fruit and vegetable allergens: Possibilities of its reduction through processing. FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2016.1239208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sai Kranthi Vanga
- Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mohit Jain
- Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Vijaya Raghavan
- Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
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Hosoki K, Aguilera-Aguirre L, Brasier AR, Kurosky A, Boldogh I, Sur S. Facilitation of Allergic Sensitization and Allergic Airway Inflammation by Pollen-Induced Innate Neutrophil Recruitment. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2016; 54:81-90. [PMID: 26086549 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2015-0044oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophil recruitment is a hallmark of rapid innate immune responses. Exposure of airways of naive mice to pollens rapidly induces neutrophil recruitment. The innate mechanisms that regulate pollen-induced neutrophil recruitment and the contribution of this neutrophilic response to subsequent induction of allergic sensitization and inflammation need to be elucidated. Here we show that ragweed pollen extract (RWPE) challenge in naive mice induces C-X-C motif ligand (CXCL) chemokine synthesis, which stimulates chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 2 (CXCR2)-dependent recruitment of neutrophils into the airways. Deletion of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) abolishes CXCL chemokine secretion and neutrophil recruitment induced by a single RWPE challenge and inhibits induction of allergic sensitization and airway inflammation after repeated exposures to RWPE. Forced induction of CXCL chemokine secretion and neutrophil recruitment in mice lacking TLR4 also reconstitutes the ability of multiple challenges of RWPE to induce allergic airway inflammation. Blocking RWPE-induced neutrophil recruitment in wild-type mice by administration of a CXCR2 inhibitor inhibits the ability of repeated exposures to RWPE to stimulate allergic sensitization and airway inflammation. Administration of neutrophils derived from naive donor mice into the airways of Tlr4 knockout recipient mice after each repeated RWPE challenge reconstitutes allergic sensitization and inflammation in these mice. Together these observations indicate that pollen-induced recruitment of neutrophils is TLR4 and CXCR2 dependent and that recruitment of neutrophils is a critical rate-limiting event that stimulates induction of allergic sensitization and airway inflammation. Inhibiting pollen-induced recruitment of neutrophils, such as by administration of CXCR2 antagonists, may be a novel strategy to prevent initiation of pollen-induced allergic airway inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koa Hosoki
- 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology
| | | | - Allan R Brasier
- 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology.,3 Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine, and
| | - Alexander Kurosky
- 3 Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine, and.,4 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Istvan Boldogh
- 2 Department of Microbiology and Immunology.,3 Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine, and
| | - Sanjiv Sur
- 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology.,3 Sealy Center for Molecular Medicine, and
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Hjort J, Hugg TT, Antikainen H, Rusanen J, Sofiev M, Kukkonen J, Jaakkola MS, Jaakkola JJ. Fine-Scale Exposure to Allergenic Pollen in the Urban Environment: Evaluation of Land Use Regression Approach. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:619-26. [PMID: 26452296 PMCID: PMC4858385 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1509761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the recent developments in physically and chemically based analysis of atmospheric particles, no models exist for resolving the spatial variability of pollen concentration at urban scale. OBJECTIVES We developed a land use regression (LUR) approach for predicting spatial fine-scale allergenic pollen concentrations in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, and evaluated the performance of the models against available empirical data. METHODS We used grass pollen data monitored at 16 sites in an urban area during the peak pollen season and geospatial environmental data. The main statistical method was generalized linear model (GLM). RESULTS GLM-based LURs explained 79% of the spatial variation in the grass pollen data based on all samples, and 47% of the variation when samples from two sites with very high concentrations were excluded. In model evaluation, prediction errors ranged from 6% to 26% of the observed range of grass pollen concentrations. Our findings support the use of geospatial data-based statistical models to predict the spatial variation of allergenic grass pollen concentrations at intra-urban scales. A remote sensing-based vegetation index was the strongest predictor of pollen concentrations for exposure assessments at local scales. CONCLUSIONS The LUR approach provides new opportunities to estimate the relations between environmental determinants and allergenic pollen concentration in human-modified environments at fine spatial scales. This approach could potentially be applied to estimate retrospectively pollen concentrations to be used for long-term exposure assessments. CITATION Hjort J, Hugg TT, Antikainen H, Rusanen J, Sofiev M, Kukkonen J, Jaakkola MS, Jaakkola JJ. 2016. Fine-scale exposure to allergenic pollen in the urban environment: evaluation of land use regression approach. Environ Health Perspect 124:619-626; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509761.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timo T. Hugg
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | | | | | | | - Maritta S. Jaakkola
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jouni J.K. Jaakkola
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Cariñanos P, Adinolfi C, Díaz de la Guardia C, De Linares C, Casares-Porcel M. Characterization of Allergen Emission Sources in Urban Areas. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2016; 45:244-52. [PMID: 26828180 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2015.02.0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Pollen released by urban flora-a major contributor to airborne allergen content during the pollen season-has a considerable adverse impact on human health. Using aerobiological techniques to sample and characterize airborne biological particulate matter (BPM), we can identify the main species contributing to the pollen spectrum and chart variations in counts and overall pollen dynamics throughout the year. However, given the exponential increase in the number of pollen allergy sufferers in built-up areas, new strategies are required to improve the biological quality of urban air. This paper reports on a novel characterization of the potential allergenicity of the tree species most commonly used as ornamentals in Mediterranean cities. Values were assigned to each species based on a number of intrinsic features including pollination strategy, pollen season duration, and allergenic capacity as reported in the specialist literature. Findings were used to generate a database in which groups of conifers, broadleaves, and palm trees were assigned a value of between 0 and 36, enabling their allergenicity to be rated as nil, low, moderate, high, or very high. The case study presented here focuses on the city of Granada in southern Spain. The major airborne-pollen-producing species were identified and the allergenicity of species growing in urban green zones was estimated. Corrective measures are proposed to prevent high allergen levels and thus improve biological air quality.
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Nolte M, Barber D, Maloney J, Li Z, Kaur A, Galan A, Andersen JS, Nolte H. Timothy specific IgE levels are associated with efficacy and safety of timothy grass sublingual immunotherapy tablet. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2015; 115:509-515.e2. [PMID: 26507709 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2015.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regional pollen allergen exposure differences may induce variable sensitization profiles that could affect allergen immunotherapy efficacy and safety. OBJECTIVE To describe sensitization profiles against timothy grass allergen components (Phl p) in North American subjects screened for a timothy grass sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablet trial and evaluate grass SLIT tablet efficacy and safety based on pretreatment Phl p IgE levels. METHODS Serum-specific IgE was measured post hoc by ImmunoCAP ISAC from subjects screened (N = 1,905) for study P08067 (NCT01385371) conducted in Canada and 5 US regions. Subjects exhibited positivity for timothy grass by skin prick testing and serum IgE. Average total combined symptom plus medication score during the entire pollen season and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were determined in randomized subjects (n = 1,140) by pretreatment Phl p IgE levels (group 1, ≤33rd percentile; group 2, >33rd-67th percentile; group 3, >67th percentile; or undetectable). RESULTS Most screened subjects were sensitized to Phl p 1 (73%) and Phl p 5 (51%). The highest mean IgE levels and largest proportions of subjects with positive reactions for Phl p 1 and Phl p 5 were found in Canada and the western United States. Improvements in total combined symptom plus medication score vs placebo by Phl p 5 IgE groups 1 to 3 were 7.7%, 23.9%, and 35.4%, respectively, and 18.7% for subjects with undetectable Phl p 5 IgE. TRAE incidences with the grass SLIT tablet by Phl p 5 IgE groups 1 to 3 were 56.1%, 66.4%, and 74.5%, respectively, and 49.7% in subjects with undetectable Phl p 5 IgE. Similar, but less pronounced, trends for efficacy and TRAEs were observed for Phl p 1 and Phl p 6 IgE. CONCLUSION Sensitization profiles varied by region. Trends toward higher efficacy and increased TRAE incidence in subjects with higher pretreatment Phl p IgE levels were observed. TRIAL REGISTRY www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01385371.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Domingo Barber
- IMMA School of Medicine, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain
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Christensen LH, Ipsen H, Nolte H, Maloney J, Nelson HS, Weber R, Lund K. Short ragweeds is highly cross-reactive with other ragweeds. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2015; 115:490-495.e1. [PMID: 26507708 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2015.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The most widespread ragweed (Ambrosia) species in North America are short ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia; Amb a), giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida; Amb t), and western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya; Amb p). Varied geographic distributions of ragweed species raise questions regarding the need for ragweed species-specific allergen immunotherapy. OBJECTIVE To determine allergenic cross-reactivity among ragweed species by immunologic analyses of sera from subjects allergic to ragweed from North America and Europe. METHODS Sera were collected from 452 subjects allergic to ragweed who participated in Amb a sublingual immunotherapy tablet clinical trials. All subjects had positive skin prick test and serum IgE against Amb a. Ragweed-specific IgE (pre treatment) and IgG4 (post treatment) were measured by ImmunoCAP. IgE inhibition studies among Amb a, Amb t, and Amb p were conducted. Using pooled sera from another ragweed-allergic population, IgE inhibition studies of 7 less widespread Ambrosia species also were conducted. RESULTS A strong correlation between Amb a vs Amb p and Amb t serum IgE levels was observed. In the vast majority of pretreatment sera, Amb a inhibited Amb a, Amb p, and Amb t IgE reactivity by more than 90%. Strong correlations were observed between Amb a vs Amb p and Amb t post-treatment IgG4 levels. In pooled sera, Amb a extract inhibited the binding of serum IgE to all 10 ragweed species by 98%-100%. CONCLUSION In a population of subjects allergic to Amb a, substantial allergenic cross-reactivity among Amb a, Amb p, and Amb t was demonstrated. These in vitro data suggest that an Amb a-based single-species ragweed allergen immunotherapy may be therapeutically active in patients exposed to diverse ragweed pollens. TRIAL REGISTRY Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00770315, NCT00783198, and NCT00330083.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jennifer Maloney
- Merck & Co, Inc, Kenilworth, New Jersey; Current affiliation: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Tarrytown, New York
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Ambrosia artemisiifolia (ragweed) in Germany - current presence, allergological relevance and containment procedures. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 24:108-120. [PMID: 27226949 PMCID: PMC4861741 DOI: 10.1007/s40629-015-0060-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Ambrosia artemisiifolia (ragweed) is a neophyte in Europe and Germany, which originated from the United States of America. In the USA the rate of sensitization against ragweed equals that of grass pollen, and without containment the rate of allergic sensitizations against ragweed pollen will clearly increase. Currently, the most frequent sensitizations in Germany are against grass pollen, followed by sensitizations against house dust mite and birch pollen. Ragweed pollen evokes symptoms at about 10 pollen/m3, grass pollen at about 15 pollen/m3. These concentrations of ragweed pollen are only reached on limited occasions in Germany. Ragweed cross-reacts with mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and a correct diagnosis is only feasible with the ragweed specific allergen Amb a 1. Due to cross reactivity with mugwort, new sensitizations against ragweed pollen are not needed to evoke allergic symptoms. The neophyte encounters an already mugwort-sensitized population, extends the pollen season and may provoke new sensitizations. Ragweed sensitizations are characterized by an increased tendency to also affect the lower airways, which is less with mugwort sensitizations. Thus containment of ragweed is needed. Ragweed seeds are imported or spread by contaminated bird feed, the transport of ragweed contaminated soil (also in tyre treads) and agricultural products from infested areas. States bordering on ragweed positive areas, like Brandenburg and Bavaria, are especially at risk and invasion is already underway. Ragweed seeds survive up to 40 years in soil, and so extended timescales for eradication and observations are needed. Germany is, compared to other countries like France (Rhone-Valley), Italy (Po-Valley), Ukraine and Hungary, limited in respect to ragweed infestation. Conditions in Germany are therefore favourable for the containment of ragweed. Switzerland implemented legislation against birdseed contamination by ragweed early during the plants expansion, and obligatory ragweed registration- and eradication showed that ragweed containment is possible. Without counter measures ragweed expansion in Germany will take place, resulting in more allergic disease. Considering the increasing number of allergic individuals, even without ragweed invasion, containment of the neophyte should be actively persued. Unfortunately, time is running out.
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Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Traubenkraut) in Deutschland – aktuelles Vorkommen, allergologische Bedeutung und Maßnahmen zur Eingrenzung. ALLERGO JOURNAL 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s15007-015-0850-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Archila LD, DeLong JH, Wambre E, James EA, Robinson DM, Kwok WW. Grass-specific CD4(+) T-cells exhibit varying degrees of cross-reactivity, implications for allergen-specific immunotherapy. Clin Exp Allergy 2015; 44:986-98. [PMID: 24708411 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conceptually, allergic responses may involve cross-reactivity by antibodies or T-cells. While IgE cross-reactivity among grass-pollen allergens has been observed, cross-reactivity at the allergen-specific T-cell level has been less documented. Identification of the patterns of cross-reactivity may improve our understanding, allowing optimization of better immunotherapy strategies. OBJECTIVES We use Phleum pratense as model for the studying of cross-reactivity at the allergen-specific CD4(+) T cell level among DR04:01 restricted Pooideae grass-pollen T-cell epitopes. METHODS After in vitro culture of blood mono-nucleated cells from grass-pollen-allergic subjects with specific Pooideae antigenic epitopes, dual tetramer staining with APC-labelled DR04:01/Phleum pratense tetramers and PE-labelled DR04:01/Pooideae grass homolog tetramers was assessed to identify cross-reactivity among allergen-specific DR04:01-restricted T-cells in six subjects. Direct ex vivo staining enabled the comparison of frequency and phenotype of different Pooideae grass-pollen reactive T-cells. Intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) assays were also used to examine phenotypes of these T-cells. RESULTS T-cells with various degrees of cross-reactive profiles could be detected. Poa p 1 97-116 , Lol p 1 221-240 , Lol p 5a 199-218 , and Poa p 5a 199-218 were identified as minimally cross-reactive T-cell epitopes that do not show cross-reactivity to Phl p 1 and Phl p 5a epitopes. Ex vivo tetramer staining assays demonstrated T-cells that recognized these minimally cross-reactive T-cell epitopes are present in Grass-pollen-allergic subjects. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that not all Pooideae grass epitopes with sequence homology are cross-reactive. Non-cross-reactive T-cells with comparable frequency, phenotype and functionality to Phl p-specific T-cells suggest that a multiple allergen system should be considered for immunotherapy instead of a mono-allergen system.
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Affiliation(s)
- L D Archila
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA
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Total transcriptome, proteome, and allergome of Johnson grass pollen, which is important for allergic rhinitis in subtropical regions. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2015; 135:133-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2014.06.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 05/18/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Cohen S, Berkman N, Avital A, Springer C, Kordoba L, Haklai Z, Eshel A, Goldberg S, Picard E. Decline in asthma prevalence and severity in Israel over a 10-year period. Respiration 2014; 89:27-32. [PMID: 25471899 DOI: 10.1159/000368613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of asthma has increased in western countries towards the end of the last century, but recently seems to have stabilized. OBJECTIVE To evaluate trends in the prevalence and severity of asthma that occurred in Israel over the past decade. METHODS The medical records of 17-year-old boys, eligible for national service, between 1999 and 2008 were reviewed. National annual hospitalization and death rates for asthma were extracted. RESULTS Three hundred thousand medical records were reviewed. During the study period, lifetime asthma prevalence decreased from 9.7 to 8.1% (p = 0.002). The point prevalence of moderate-to-severe and mild persistent asthma decreased significantly from 0.88 and 3.41% to 0.36 and 2.44%, respectively, during this period. The prevalence of intermittent asthma and asthma in clinical remission for more than 3 years did not change significantly. The annual hospitalization rate for asthma decreased from 13.0 to 7.5 per 10,000 population (p < 0.0001), whilst the annual death rate due to asthma decreased between 1999 and 2008 from 2.1 to 1.4 per 100,000 population (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of asthma in Israeli teenage boys decreased significantly over the last decade. In addition, asthma hospitalization and asthma-related death rates in the total population also decreased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomo Cohen
- Pediatric Pulmonology Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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Albertine JM, Manning WJ, DaCosta M, Stinson KA, Muilenberg ML, Rogers CA. Projected carbon dioxide to increase grass pollen and allergen exposure despite higher ozone levels. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111712. [PMID: 25372614 PMCID: PMC4221106 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
One expected effect of climate change on human health is increasing allergic and asthmatic symptoms through changes in pollen biology. Allergic diseases have a large impact on human health globally, with 10-30% of the population affected by allergic rhinitis and more than 300 million affected by asthma. Pollen from grass species, which are highly allergenic and occur worldwide, elicits allergic responses in 20% of the general population and 40% of atopic individuals. Here we examine the effects of elevated levels of two greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), a growth and reproductive stimulator of plants, and ozone (O3), a repressor, on pollen and allergen production in Timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.). We conducted a fully factorial experiment in which plants were grown at ambient and/or elevated levels of O3 and CO2, to simulate present and projected levels of both gases and their potential interactive effects. We captured and counted pollen from flowers in each treatment and assayed for concentrations of the allergen protein, Phl p 5. We found that elevated levels of CO2 increased the amount of grass pollen produced by ∼50% per flower, regardless of O3 levels. Elevated O3 significantly reduced the Phl p 5 content of the pollen but the net effect of rising pollen numbers with elevated CO2 indicate increased allergen exposure under elevated levels of both greenhouse gases. Using quantitative estimates of increased pollen production and number of flowering plants per treatment, we estimated that airborne grass pollen concentrations will increase in the future up to ∼200%. Due to the widespread existence of grasses and the particular importance of P. pratense in eliciting allergic responses, our findings provide evidence for significant impacts on human health worldwide as a result of future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William J. Manning
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
| | - Michelle DaCosta
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
| | - Kristina A. Stinson
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
| | - Michael L. Muilenberg
- Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
| | - Christine A. Rogers
- Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States of America
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Haberle SG, Bowman DMJS, Newnham RM, Johnston FH, Beggs PJ, Buters J, Campbell B, Erbas B, Godwin I, Green BJ, Huete A, Jaggard AK, Medek D, Murray F, Newbigin E, Thibaudon M, Vicendese D, Williamson GJ, Davies JM. The macroecology of airborne pollen in Australian and New Zealand urban areas. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97925. [PMID: 24874807 PMCID: PMC4038531 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition and relative abundance of airborne pollen in urban areas of Australia and New Zealand are strongly influenced by geographical location, climate and land use. There is mounting evidence that the diversity and quality of airborne pollen is substantially modified by climate change and land-use yet there are insufficient data to project the future nature of these changes. Our study highlights the need for long-term aerobiological monitoring in Australian and New Zealand urban areas in a systematic, standardised, and sustained way, and provides a framework for targeting the most clinically significant taxa in terms of abundance, allergenic effects and public health burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon G. Haberle
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Rewi M. Newnham
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Fay H. Johnston
- Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Paul J. Beggs
- Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jeroen Buters
- Center for Allergy and Environment, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bradley Campbell
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian Godwin
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett J. Green
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Alfredo Huete
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change, University of Technology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alison K. Jaggard
- Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Danielle Medek
- School of Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Frank Murray
- School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ed Newbigin
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michel Thibaudon
- European Aerobiology Society, Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique, Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Don Vicendese
- School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Grant J. Williamson
- School of Plant Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Janet M. Davies
- Lung and Allergy Research Centre, School of Medicine, and Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
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Efficacy and safety of grass sublingual immunotherapy tablet, MK-7243: a large randomized controlled trial. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2013; 112:146-153.e2. [PMID: 24468255 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2013.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Revised: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In North America, few studies have evaluated sublingual immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis (AR/C); pediatric data are sparse. The authors report findings from the largest published immunotherapy trial yet conducted in adults and children. OBJECTIVE To evaluate grass sublingual immunotherapy tablet (MK-7243) treatment in subjects with AR/C. METHODS North American subjects (5-65 years old) with grass allergy were randomized 1:1 to once-daily MK-7243 (2,800 BAU Phleum pratense) or placebo. The first dose was given at the investigator's office; subsequent doses were self-administered at home. The primary end point was total combined score (TCS; rhinoconjunctivitis daily symptom score [DSS] plus daily medication score [DMS]) over the entire grass pollen season (GPS). Key secondary end points included entire-season DSS, DMS, peak-season TCS, and rhinoconjunctivitis quality-of-life questionnaire scores. Safety outcomes included adverse events (AEs). RESULTS One thousand five hundred one subjects were randomized (85% polysensitized, 25% had asthma). MK-7243 yielded improvements vs placebo of 23% in entire-season TCS (median difference -0.98, P < .001), 29% in peak-season TCS (median difference -1.33, P < .001), 20% in entire-season DSS (median difference -0.64, P = .001), 35% in entire-season DMS (mean difference -0.48, P < .001), and 12% in peak-season rhinoconjunctivitis quality-of-life questionnaire (median difference -0.13, P = .027). Efficacy between children and adults was similar. Most AEs were transient local application-site reactions, with no serious treatment-related AEs or anaphylactic shock. Three subjects (1 placebo, 2 MK-7243) had moderate systemic allergic reactions. CONCLUSION MK-7243 was effective in polysensitized grass-allergic North American children and adults with AR/C in this large trial, confirming previous research.
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Weinacker D, Rabert C, Zepeda AB, Figueroa CA, Pessoa A, Farías JG. Applications of recombinant Pichia pastoris in the healthcare industry. Braz J Microbiol 2013; 44:1043-8. [PMID: 24688491 PMCID: PMC3958167 DOI: 10.1590/s1517-83822013000400004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 04/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the 1970s, the establishment and development of the biotech industry has improved exponentially, allowing the commercial production of biopharmaceutical proteins. Nowadays, new recombinant protein production is considered a multibillion-dollar market, in which about 25% of commercial pharmaceuticals are biopharmaceuticals. But to achieve a competitive production process is not an easy task. Any production process has to be highly productive, efficient and economic. Despite that the perfect host is still not discovered, several research groups have chosen Pichia pastoris as expression system for the production of their protein because of its many features. The attempt of this review is to embrace several research lines that have adopted Pichia pastoris as their expression system to produce a protein on an industrial scale in the health care industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Weinacker
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería, Ciencias y Administración, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Claudia Rabert
- Departamento de Producción Agropecuaria, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Andrea B. Zepeda
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería, Ciencias y Administración, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Carolina A. Figueroa
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería, Ciencias y Administración, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jorge G. Farías
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería, Ciencias y Administración, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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Smith M, Cecchi L, Skjøth CA, Karrer G, Šikoparija B. Common ragweed: a threat to environmental health in Europe. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2013; 61:115-26. [PMID: 24140540 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2013] [Revised: 08/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Common or short ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is an annual herb belonging to the Asteraceae family that was described by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century. It is a noxious invasive species that is an important weed in agriculture and a source of highly allergenic pollen. The importance placed on A. artemisiifolia is reflected by the number of international projects that have now been launched by the European Commission and the increasing number of publications being produced on this topic. This review paper examines existing knowledge about ragweed ecology, distribution and flowering phenology and the environmental health risk that this noxious plant poses in Europe. The paper also examines control measures used in the fight against it and state of the art methods for modelling atmospheric concentrations of this important aeroallergen. Common ragweed is an environmental health threat, not only in its native North America but also in many parts of the world where it has been introduced. In Europe, where the plant has now become naturalised and frequently forms part of the flora, the threat posed by ragweed has been identified and steps are being taken to reduce further geographical expansion and limit increases in population densities of the plant in order to protect the allergic population. This is particularly important when one considers possible range shifts, changes in flowering phenology and increases in the amount of pollen and allergenic potency that could be brought about by changes in climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Smith
- Research Group Aerobiology and Pollen Information, Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
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Randomized controlled trial of a ragweed allergy immunotherapy tablet in North American and European adults. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2013; 131:1342-9.e6. [PMID: 23622121 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2012] [Revised: 02/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In North America and Europe, millions of patients experience symptoms of allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis (AR/C) on exposure to ragweed pollen. The disease burden can be significant, with most patients relying on symptomatic medications without disease-modifying potential. However, novel sublingual immunomodulatory treatment options may potentially play an important role if efficacy and side effect profiles allow the convenience of self-administration. OBJECTIVES This study evaluated an allergy immunotherapy tablet (AIT; SCH 39641/MK-3641) for treatment of ragweed-induced AR/C in the first large randomized, double-blind multinational trial of this therapeutic modality for ragweed allergy. METHODS Adults (n = 784) with short ragweed-induced AR/C were randomly assigned to approximately 52 weeks of daily self-administered ragweed AIT of 1.5, 6, or 12 units of Ambrosia artemisiifolia major allergen 1 (Amb a 1-U) or placebo. Subjects could use as-needed allergy rescue medication. Symptoms and medications were recorded daily. The primary efficacy end point was total combined daily symptom/medication score (TCS) during peak ragweed season. Safety was monitored through adverse event diaries maintained through study duration. RESULTS During peak ragweed season, ragweed AIT of 1.5, 6, and 12 Amb a 1-U reduced TCS by 9% (-0.76; P = .22), 19% (-1.58; P = .01), and 24% (-2.04; P = .002) compared with placebo. During the entire season, ragweed AIT of 1.5, 6, and 12 Amb a 1-U reduced TCS by 12% (-0.88; P = .09), 18% (-1.28; P = .01), and 27% (-1.92; P < .001) compared with placebo. Treatment was well tolerated; no systemic allergic reactions occurred. CONCLUSIONS In this trial, ragweed AIT of 12 Amb a 1-U was effective and tolerable with a safety profile that permitted daily self-administration of ragweed allergen immunotherapy.
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Randomized controlled trial of ragweed allergy immunotherapy tablet efficacy and safety in North American adults. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2013; 110:450-456.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2013.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2012] [Revised: 02/23/2013] [Accepted: 03/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Honda A, Murayama R, Tsuji K, Matsuda Y, Koike E, Okamoto Y, Shirasawa N, Takano H. Streamer discharge reduces pollen-induced inflammatory responses and injury in human airway epithelial cells. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2013; 238:187-92. [PMID: 23576800 DOI: 10.1177/1535370212473693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although epidemiological studies have demonstrated that cedar pollen influences respiratory health, effective method for inactivating cedar pollen has not been established. Streamer discharge is a type of plasma discharge in which high-speed electrons collide with oxygen and nitrogen molecules. It reportedly has the ability to eliminate bacteria, mould, chemical substances and allergens. The present study investigated the influence of pollen on BEAS-2B cell line, derived from human airway epithelial cells, as well as the efficiency of streamer discharge on pollen-induced health effects. Airway epithelial cells were exposed to non-treated pollen and streamer-discharged pollen at doses of 100 and 1000 μg/mL for 6 or 24 h. Non-treated pollen at a dose of 1000 μg/mL significantly decreased cell viability and induced both mRNA and protein expression of interleukin-6, whereas streamer-discharged pollen showed the attenuated changes as compared with non-treated pollen. Further, scanning electron micrographs showed that streamer discharge caused the fine structural changes of pollen. These results provide the first experimental evidence that pollen at a high dose affects cell viability and inflammatory responses, and streamer discharge technology attenuates their influences by decomposing pollen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Honda
- Environmental Health Division, Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University C Cluster, Kyoto-Daigaku-Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan.
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Lovasi GS, O'Neil-Dunne JPM, Lu JWT, Sheehan D, Perzanowski MS, Macfaden SW, King KL, Matte T, Miller RL, Hoepner LA, Perera FP, Rundle A. Urban tree canopy and asthma, wheeze, rhinitis, and allergic sensitization to tree pollen in a New York City birth cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2013; 121:494-500. [PMID: 23322788 PMCID: PMC3620770 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1205513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urban landscape elements, particularly trees, have the potential to affect airflow, air quality, and production of aeroallergens. Several large-scale urban tree planting projects have sought to promote respiratory health, yet evidence linking tree cover to human health is limited. OBJECTIVES We sought to investigate the association of tree canopy cover with subsequent development of childhood asthma, wheeze, rhinitis, and allergic sensitization. METHODS Birth cohort study data were linked to detailed geographic information systems data characterizing 2001 tree canopy coverage based on LiDAR (light detection and ranging) and multispectral imagery within 0.25 km of the prenatal address. A total of 549 Dominican or African-American children born in 1998-2006 had outcome data assessed by validated questionnaire or based on IgE antibody response to specific allergens, including a tree pollen mix. RESULTS Tree canopy coverage did not significantly predict outcomes at 5 years of age, but was positively associated with asthma and allergic sensitization at 7 years. Adjusted risk ratios (RRs) per standard deviation of tree canopy coverage were 1.17 for asthma (95% CI: 1.02, 1.33), 1.20 for any specific allergic sensitization (95% CI: 1.05, 1.37), and 1.43 for tree pollen allergic sensitization (95% CI: 1.19, 1.72). CONCLUSIONS Results did not support the hypothesized protective association of urban tree canopy coverage with asthma or allergy-related outcomes. Tree canopy cover near the prenatal address was associated with higher prevalence of allergic sensitization to tree pollen. Information was not available on sensitization to specific tree species or individual pollen exposures, and results may not be generalizable to other populations or geographic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina S Lovasi
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
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Early Pollen Sensitization in Children Is Dependent upon Regional Aeroallergen Exposure. J Allergy (Cairo) 2012; 2012:583765. [PMID: 22619685 PMCID: PMC3348650 DOI: 10.1155/2012/583765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2011] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Aeroallergen sensitization occurs at an earlier age than previously noted. The purpose of this paper was to identify which pollens cause early sensitization in young children presenting with rhinitis symptoms. Methods. This paper was a retrospective analysis of skin test results from 2- to 8-year-old patients presenting with a history consistent with allergic rhinitis. Patients were tested to aeroallergens common to the Great Basin along with a histamine and saline control. Pollen counts were obtained from a Reno, NV-certified counting station. Results. 123 children less than 8 years of age were identified. Over 50% of these children were sensitized to at least one aeroallergen. Chemopodaciae, timothy, alfalfa, black walnut, olive, mountain cedar and willow were predominating sensitizing aeroallergens of the Great Basin Region. Pollen counts were notable for a early spring peak for the tree season, grass season in May and weed season in August. Pollen levels continued to November at low levels. Discussion. Aeroallergens causing early sensitization differed from those which had predominately been reported in other regions of the United States. Pediatric allergists should consider performing a local review of sensitizing aeroallergens in their region to assist with identification and management of allergic rhinitis in their youngest patients. Please make style changes as appropriate.
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