Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2013;23(3):168-75.
Paper mulberry (Morus papyrifera) pollen is considered to be one of the most clinically relevant aeroallergens in Pakistan. To date, the allergenicity of the pollen has not been investigated.
To characterize the sensitization profile of mulberry-allergic patients and the proteins of paper mulberry pollen contributing to pollinosis in the Pakistani population.
Proteins were extracted from mulberry pollen using different protocols. Immunoglobulin (Ig) E binding proteins to mulberry pollen was determined by ImmunoCAP testing and immunoblotting using sera from 29 mulberry pollen-allergic patients with positive skin prick test results to mulberry pollen antigens. The histamine release assay was performed in vitro to determine the allergenic potency of pollen extracts and a partially purified mulberry pollen allergen. The protein was identified using N-terminal sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF).
IgE sensitization to mulberry pollen was confirmed by positive ImmunoCAP results to pollen from Morus alba (white mulberry) in 23 out of 29 mulberry pollen-allergic patients. A 10-kDa protein from the paper mulberry pollen extract was considered a major allergen, along with additional IgE-reactive proteins. Sera from 79% of the patients reacted to the 10-kDa allergen, which showed substantial capacity to trigger histamine release in 3 out of 4 patients. N-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF/TOF yielded an amino acid sequence with no homology to known proteins.
Mulberry-allergic patients are sensitized to multiple mulberry pollen allergens. We identified a novel 10-kDa protein that was a major allergen and should be further investigated for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
桑树花粉（Morus papyrifera）被认为是巴基斯坦最具临床相关性的气传过敏原之一。迄今为止，其过敏原性尚未得到研究。
对桑树过敏患者的致敏情况及导致巴基斯坦人群花粉症的桑树花粉蛋白进行分析。
采用不同的方案从桑树花粉中提取蛋白质。使用 ImmunoCAP 检测和免疫印迹法检测 29 例桑树花粉过敏患者血清中桑树花粉 IgE 结合蛋白，这些患者的桑树花粉抗原皮试结果均为阳性。体外进行组胺释放试验以测定花粉提取物和部分纯化的桑树花粉过敏原的致敏效力。采用 N 端测序和基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱（MALDI-TOF/TOF）鉴定蛋白。
29 例桑树花粉过敏患者中，23 例对桑树花粉（白桑）的 ImmunoCAP 检测结果呈阳性，证实了 IgE 对桑树花粉的致敏。从纸桑花粉提取物中鉴定出一种 10-kDa 蛋白，它是一种主要过敏原，同时还存在其他 IgE 反应性蛋白。79%的患者的血清对 10-kDa 过敏原产生反应，其中 3 例患者的组胺释放能力较强。N 端测序和 MALDI-TOF/TOF 得到的氨基酸序列与已知蛋白无同源性。
桑树过敏患者对多种桑树花粉过敏原敏感。我们鉴定出一种新型 10-kDa 蛋白，它是一种主要过敏原，应进一步进行诊断和治疗目的的研究。
