Minor allergen patterns in birch pollen allergen products-A question of pollen?

Chinese Birch Pollen Allergy and Immunotherapy in Mice

Birch pollen allergy is a common cause of spring pollinosis in China. However, there is little research on birch pollen allergen in China and only the major allergen (Bet v 1) has been fully characterized. Chinese birch pollen-induced airway inflammation models in BALB/c mice were developed and administered subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). BALB/c mice were sensitized subcutaneously on days 1, 8, and 15 with 25 μg/μL birch pollen extract. On days 24-26, the mice were challenged with 0.1% birch pollen aerosol. To investigate the efficacy of SCIT, mice were subcutaneously injected 0.3 mg birch pollen extract (BPE) with or without being adsorbed to alum. Airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) to methacholine and immunological parameters was detected. Western blot analysis was applied with mice serum and mass spectrometry was used to identify the IgE-binding bands in birch pollen. Compared with PBS group, birch pollen sensitization and challenge BALB/c mice developed AHR, and IL4, IL5, IL6, IL10, and IL17 were significantly higher. Mice sensitized by birch pollen showed increased plasma levels of anti-BPE IgE, IgG1, and IgG2a. Histologic analyses showed that mice had peribranchial infiltration of inflammatory cells and mucosal hyperplasia. After SCIT, allergic symptoms effectively alleviated and kept for a long time. Interestingly, mice serum pool showed strong reactions to 70-kDa proteins. Mass spectrometry data suggests that the 70-kDa protein belongs to the HSP 70 family. SCIT inhibited the inflammatory response in the long term and a 70-kDa protein potentially belonging to the HSP 70 family plays a significant role in Chinese birch pollen-induced mice model.

Developments in the field of allergy in 2017 through the eyes of Clinical and Experimental Allergy

In this article, we described the development in the field of allergy as described by Clinical and Experimental Allergy in 2017. Experimental models of allergic disease, basic mechanisms, clinical mechanisms, allergens, asthma and rhinitis and clinical allergy are all covered.