Presence of potential allergy-related linear epitopes in novel proteins from conventional crops and the implication for the safety assessment of these crops with respect to the current testing of genetically modified crops

Variability of Corylus avellana, L. CorA and profilin pollen allergens expression

Corylus avellana is the source of inhalant allergies induced by hazel pollen as well as food allergies induced after ingestion of hazelnuts. In this study, real-time PCR approach was used to analyse expression of hazel pollen allergens on the molecular level. Relative quantity of hazelnut allergens Corylus avellana, L. CorA and Corylus avellana, L. pollen profiling in samples from different Ukraine areas were determining and comparing. Differences among the levels of both analysed allergen transcripts were found for hazel CorA and profillin. In both cases, the expression within the urbanized growth conditions was higher when compared to the sample from village area. The average expression for CorA was 0.84 times higher than for profilin and the results are very variable depending on the place of growth. Expression levels here were within the range of 2.957 up to the 52.936. Profilin expression was the highest in the sample from the polluted place of growth-cement plant area with the value of 52 times higher when compared to the sample from the village area. In this study, comparison of expression levels of hazel CorA and profiling pollen allergens was performed for the first time. Real-time PCR assay developed in this study proved the sensitivity for detection of the changes of the hazel pollen allergens expression levels and could benefit labs by fast and reproducible detection method of these allergens.

Changes in expression of BetV1 allergen of silver birch pollen in urbanized area of Ukraine

The aim of the study was to determinate the level of expression of silver birch allergen Betv1 in pollen samples from different Ukraine areas by RT-qPCR SYBR Green assay. Protocol for quantifying the expression of Betv1 allergen was developed when testing of three housekeeping genes-cyclophylin, alpha-tubulin and transcription factor CBF1. Samples from urbanized area was analysed by real-time PCR when a sample from forest growth conditions was used as a calibrator. Real-time PCR based quantifying of Betv1 provides a useful method for rapid and sensitive analyses of this silver birch allergen. Our results show higher expression levels in samples from central parts of urbanized area as housing estates when compared to the samples from borders of the urbanized area.

[Food safety of GMOs]

In this presentation, we review the complexity of the different biological events which occur during life cell cycles. Indeed transgenesis is not an unknown event for cells. In the second part of this article, the complex and complete evaluation process destined to assure the food safety of GMOs, before they are released on the market, is describd. Some ansers to questions frequently asked about the GMOs are given. It is concludedthat GMOs are probably more safe than their conventional non-GM counterpart.

A risk-based classification scheme for genetically modified foods. I: Conceptual development

The predominant paradigm for the premarket assessment of genetically modified (GM) foods reflects heightened public concern by focusing on foods modified by recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) techniques, while foods modified by other methods of genetic modification are generally not assessed for safety. To determine whether a GM product requires less or more regulatory oversight and testing, we developed and evaluated a risk-based classification scheme (RBCS) for crop-derived GM foods. The results of this research are presented in three papers. This paper describes the conceptual development of the proposed RBCS that focuses on two categories of adverse health effects: (1) toxic and antinutritional effects, and (2) allergenic effects. The factors that may affect the level of potential health risks of GM foods are identified. For each factor identified, criteria for differentiating health risk potential are developed. The extent to which a GM food satisfies applicable criteria for each factor is rated separately. A concern level for each category of health effects is then determined by aggregating the ratings for the factors using predetermined aggregation rules. An overview of the proposed scheme is presented, as well as the application of the scheme to a hypothetical GM food.

Bioinformatics approaches to classifying allergens and predicting cross-reactivity

Allergenic proteins from very different environmental sources have similar sequences and structures. This fact may account for multiple allergen syndromes, whereby a myriad of diverse plants and foods may induce a similar IgE-based reaction in certain patients. Identifying the common triggering protein in these sources, in silico, can aid designing individualized therapy for allergen sufferers. This article provides an overview of databases on allergenic proteins, and ways to identify common proteins that may be the cause of multiple allergy syndromes. The major emphasis is on the relational Structural Database of Allergenic Proteins (SDAP []), which includes cross-referenced data on the sequence, structure, and IgE epitopes of over 800 allergenic proteins, coupled with specially developed bioinformatics tools to group all allergens and identify discrete areas that may account for cross-reactivity. SDAP is freely available on the Web to clinicians and patients.