Identification of a polygalacturonase (Cup s 2) as the major CCD-bearing allergen in Cupressus sempervirens pollen.

November 01, 2017 By:
  • Shahali Y
  • Sutra JP
  • Hilger C
  • Swiontek K
  • Haddad I
  • Vinh J
  • Guilloux L
  • Charpin D
  • Senechal H
  • Poncet P.

As IgE glyco-epitopes, also referred to as cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs), can share significant structural homologies between different plants, they are prone to extensive cross-reactivity among allergen pollen extracts. Here, cypress pollen allergens, especially a polygalacturonase (PG), were further characterized using double one-dimensional electrophoresis (D1-DE). The presence of specific IgE directed against CCDs was investigated by bromelain IgE inhibition and concanavalin A binding assays using sera of cypress pollen-sensitized patients. Our results showed that IgE reactivity to CCDs in Cupressus sempervirens pollen extracts is mainly related to bromelain-type epitopes of a newly identified cypress PG. This glycoprotein has been further characterized through an immunoproteomic approach and officially indexed as Cup s 2 by the WHO/IUIS allergen nomenclature. Cup s 2 could thus be associated with the increased prevalence of IgE reactivity to cypress pollen extracts because of CCD interference.

2017 Nov. Allergy.72(11):1806-1810. Epub 2017 May 22.
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