Determination of Human Linear IgE Epitopes of Japanese Cedar Allergen Cry j 1

Japanese cedar and cypress pollinosis updated: New allergens, cross-reactivity, and treatment

Pollen from many tree species in the Cupressaceae family is a well-known cause of seasonal allergic diseases worldwide. Japanese cedar pollinosis and Japanese cypress pollinosis, which are caused by pollen from Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), respectively, are the most prevalent seasonal allergic diseases in Japan. Recently, the novel major Japanese cypress allergen Cha o 3 and the homologous Japanese cedar allergen Cry j cellulase were identified, and it was shown, for the first time, that cellulase in plants is allergenic. Although the allergenic components of pollen from both species exhibit high amino acid sequence identity, their pollinosis responded differently to allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) using a standardized extract of Japanese cedar pollen. Pharmacotherapy and ASIT for Japanese cedar and cypress pollinosis have advanced considerably in recent years. In particular, Japanese cedar ASIT has entered a new phase, primarily in response to the generation of updated efficacy data and the development of new formulations. In this review, we focus on both Japanese cypress and cedar pollinosis, and discuss the latest findings, newly identified causative allergens, and new treatments. To manage pollinosis symptoms during spring effectively, ASIT for both Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress pollen is considered necessary.

Accuracy of protein allergenicity prediction can be improved by taking into account data on allergenic protein discontinuous peptides

Allergy poses major health problems in industrialized countries, affecting over 20% of the population. Proteins from transgenic foods, cosmetics, animal hair, and other ubiquitous sources can be allergens. For this reason, development of improved methods for the prediction of potential allergenicity of proteins is timely. The currently available approaches to allergenicity prediction are numerous. Some approaches relied heavily on information on protein three-dimensional (3D) structure for allergenicity prediction. They required knowledge about 3D structure of query protein, thereby considerably restricting analysis to only those proteins whose 3D structure was known. As a consequence, many proteins with unknown structure could be overlooked. We developed a new method for allergenicity prediction, using information on protein 3D structure only for training. Three-dimensional structures of known allergenic proteins were used for representing protein surface as patches designated as discontinuous peptides. Allergenicity was predicted through search of such peptides in query protein sequences. It was demonstrated that the information on the discontinuous peptides made feasible better prediction of allergenic proteins. The allergenicity prediction method is available at http://www-bionet.sscc.ru/psd/cgi-bin/programs/Allergen/allergen.cgi .

Allergic potency of Japanese cedar pollen Cry j 1 is reduced by a low concentration of hypochlorous acid generated by electolysis

BACKGROUND

Although Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis has developed into a health problem, few methods eradicate indoor allergens completely. In a recent study, however, the effectiveness of inactivation with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) treatment was revealed. Therefore, the present study aimed to elucidate the ability of chlorine bleach (NaOCl) to reduce the immunogenicity of the major allergenic protein of Japanese cedar (Cry j 1).

METHODS

Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, and skin testing were carried out in 7 individuals.

RESULTS

The allergenic protein was undetectable using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining at a sodium hypochlorite/allergenic protein molar ratio of 457. Western blotting with human sera showed the same dose-dependent efficacy. The immunogenicity of the purified protein and cedar pollen was also demonstrated on enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay to be reduced by sodium hypochlorite treatment in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, sodium hypochlorite-treatment inhibited the skin test response to the protein in all 7 individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypochlorous acid generated by electrolysis is an effective method for significantly reducing the immunogenicity of Cry j 1.

Mapping IgE-binding epitopes of Ric c 1 and Ric c 3, allergens from Ricinus communis, by mast cell degranulation assay

Ric c 1 and Ric c 3 are the major castor bean allergens. In order to identify continuous IgE-epitopes in Ric c 1 and Ric c 3, pools of sera from rats immunized with a pool of 2S albumin from these seeds, Ric c 1 and Ric c 3 overlapping synthetic peptides, were used to screen for IgE-binding epitopes. The allergenic properties were monitored by mast cell degranulation assays, histamine quantification and human-IgE binding. Large and small chains isolated from these proteins present allergenic properties. Four continuous epitopes were identified in Ric c 3 and two in Ric c 1. This knowledge may allow the induction of protective antibody responses to antagonize the IgE recognition.