Jiménez A, Moreno C, Martínez J, Martínez A, Bartolomé B, Guerra F, Palacios R
Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.
Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 1994 Nov;105(3):297-307. doi: 10.1159/000236772.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) pollen sensitization has been reported as an occupational allergy. In this report, the sensitization of the general population living in sunflower-growing areas to Helianthus pollen was studied. Both RAST results in 32 adults with summer symptoms previously diagnosed as allergic to Artemisia pollen, and cross-reactivity studies between H. annuus and other Compositae suggested that H. annuus pollen was the main allergen involved in the hypersensitivity reaction of those patients. Good correlation was found between RAST and SPT to Helianthus and between RAST and conjunctival provocation test to Helianthus. Bronchial challenge tests performed on 8 of the 32 patients confirmed the clinical implication of Helianthus pollen in suspected subjects. Five workers, handling sunflower pollen, who suffered from related symptoms were subjected to the same study, showing lesser wheal areas and lesser specific IgE levels than a non-worker group. Thirteen patients with RAST values > or = class 2 showed 2 IgE-binding fractions at 34.0 and 42.8 kD in 65% of sera and 3 IgE-binding fractions at pI 4.9, 9.6 and 10.2 in 54% of sera. By means of micropreparative high-resolution chromatography, it was possible to purify a 34-kD major allergen. Analysis performed by RAST inhibition with sera from atopic patients and ELISA inhibition with experimental anti-Helianthus rabbit sera demonstrated a cross-reactivity between Helianthus and other Compositae, but low affinity of specific anti-Helianthus antibodies for heterologous antigens. Taking into account the above-mentioned data, and the high prevalence of Helianthus pollen in the atmosphere during harvesting (in spite of its entomophilous character), Helianthus pollen should be considered as an allergenic source to be investigated in the general population living in sunflower-growing regions suffering from seasonal summer allergy.
向日葵（Helianthus annuus）花粉致敏已被报道为一种职业性过敏。在本报告中，对生活在向日葵种植区的普通人群对向日葵花粉的致敏情况进行了研究。对32名先前被诊断为对蒿属花粉过敏且有夏季症状的成年人进行的RAST检测结果，以及向日葵与其他菊科植物之间的交叉反应性研究均表明，向日葵花粉是这些患者超敏反应中的主要过敏原。发现对向日葵的RAST与SPT之间以及对向日葵的RAST与结膜激发试验之间具有良好的相关性。对32名患者中的8名进行的支气管激发试验证实了向日葵花粉在疑似受试者中的临床意义。5名处理向日葵花粉且出现相关症状的工人接受了同样的研究，结果显示他们的风团面积和特异性IgE水平均低于非工人组。13名RAST值≥2级的患者中，65%的血清在34.0和42.8 kD处显示2个IgE结合组分，54%的血清在pI 4.9、9.6和10.2处显示3个IgE结合组分。通过微量制备型高分辨率色谱法，有可能纯化出一种34-kD的主要过敏原。用特应性患者的血清进行RAST抑制分析以及用实验性抗向日葵兔血清进行ELISA抑制分析表明，向日葵与其他菊科植物之间存在交叉反应，但特异性抗向日葵抗体对异源抗原的亲和力较低。考虑到上述数据，以及收获期间大气中向日葵花粉的高流行率（尽管其为虫媒花性质），向日葵花粉应被视为生活在遭受季节性夏季过敏的向日葵种植区普通人群中有待研究的过敏原来源。
