Complex IgE sensitization patterns in ragweed allergic patients: Implications for diagnosis and specific immunotherapy
Maria Roxana BuzanLauriana‐Eunice ZbîrceaPia GattingerElijahu BabaevFrank StolzRudolf ValentaVirgil PăunescuCarmen PanaitescuKuan‐Wei Chen
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Keywords:
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Basophil activation
Ambrosia
Mugwort
Abstract Ambrosia artemisiifolia (ragweed) is a neophyte in Europe and Germany, which originated from the United States of America. In the USA the rate of sensitization against ragweed equals that of grass pollen, and without containment the rate of allergic sensitizations against ragweed pollen will clearly increase. Currently, the most frequent sensitizations in Germany are against grass pollen, followed by sensitizations against house dust mite and birch pollen. Ragweed pollen evokes symptoms at about 10 pollen/m3, grass pollen at about 15 pollen/m3. These concentrations of ragweed pollen are only reached on limited occasions in Germany. Ragweed cross-reacts with mugwort ( Artemisia vulgaris ) and a correct diagnosis is only feasible with the ragweed specific allergen Amb a 1. Due to cross reactivity with mugwort, new sensitizations against ragweed pollen are not needed to evoke allergic symptoms. The neophyte encounters an already mugwort-sensitized population, extends the pollen season and may provoke new sensitizations. Ragweed sensitizations are characterized by an increased tendency to also affect the lower airways, which is less with mugwort sensitizations. Thus containment of ragweed is needed. Ragweed seeds are imported or spread by contaminated bird feed, the transport of ragweed contaminated soil (also in tyre treads) and agricultural products from infested areas. States bordering on ragweed positive areas, like Brandenburg and Bavaria, are especially at risk and invasion is already underway. Ragweed seeds survive up to 40 years in soil, and so extended timescales for eradication and observations are needed. Germany is, compared to other countries like France (Rhone-Valley), Italy (Po-Valley), Ukraine and Hungary, limited in respect to ragweed infestation. Conditions in Germany are therefore favourable for the containment of ragweed. Switzerland implemented legislation against birdseed contamination by ragweed early during the plants expansion, and obligatory ragweed registration- and eradication showed that ragweed containment is possible. Without counter measures ragweed expansion in Germany will take place, resulting in more allergic disease. Considering the increasing number of allergic individuals, even without ragweed invasion, containment of the neophyte should be actively persued. Unfortunately, time is running out.
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Mugwort
Ambrosia
Aerobiology
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Ambrosia artemisiifolia (ragweed) is an invasive weed with pollen representing one of the most potent seasonal aeroallergenes. Romania is considered a ragweed infested country, based on field observations performed in different regions, pollen counts done in the West region and some clinical reports from allergists in the West and South parts. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the situation of allergies induced by Ambrosia artemisiifolia from the perspective of allergists practice in Romania and to draw some conclusions regarding consequences and possible measures to reduce this burden. The study was based on a questionnaire addressed to allergists attending the national annual allergology conference in 2013. The answers showed that part of the allergists are aware of the importance of allergies induced by Ambrosia pollen. We concluded that research projects in this field, application of eradication measures and public information are important for increase awareness of people about health impact of Ambrosia pollen in Romania.
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Background: Distribution, blossoming behavior and pollen flight of the highly allergenic ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia may be harmful to human health in Baden-Wurttemberg/Germany. Methods: In a 3 years interdisciplinary project sensitization rates against weed allergens including ragweed have been determined by Phadia Cap-RAST in 2213 10-years old children from eleven cities of BadenWurttemberg between 2005/06 and 2008/09. Information about age, social environment, airway diseases and allergies were obtained by questionnaire. Results: Sensitization rates against weed pollen were about 14,4% of total and 41,6% (ragweed) or 36,7% (mugwort) of children exhibiting a positive allergy screening test (sx1) against common environmental allergens. More than 2/3 of children with weed pollen sensitization were sensitized against mugwort and ragweed. Of them 1/5 or 1/3 showed specific IgE antibodies against the major allergens Amb a 1 and Art v 1, resp. with increasing trend over years, indicating exposure. Prevalence of sensitization against the panallergens profilin (17%), calcium binding protein (5%) and lipid transfer protein (2%) was lower. The descriptive analysis of questionnaires revealed the highest prevalence rates for allergy and allergic symptoms in those children who also showed sensitization against Amb a 1 and/or Art v 1. Conclusion: Children sensitized against weed pollen have an enhanced risk for allergic diseases, especially if they have specific IgE antibodies against major weed pollen allergens.
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Abstract Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. is a leading cause of allergies in many countries. In the last decade it has appeared and spread in Bulgaria as well. The aims of this study was to collect pollen from ragweed plants in Bulgaria, prepare the first Bulgarian ragweed allergen, and characterize it. The new allergen was studied in parallel with two other ragweed pollen extracts from the USA and Russia. The protein profile was studied through isoelectric focusing, and the total allergen activity was studied by a skin prick test and a basophil activation test. The proteins of the studied extracts were concentrated in the pI region 3.5–5.5 with an identical band number and location. The allergens showed similar total allergen activity in vivo:14/81 tested patients (17.3 %) were SPT positive either to a single ragweed extract or to all three. The allergens had identical histogram profiles and caused basophil degranulation above the test cut-off. The analysis of the flow cytometry results by parallel line bioassay shows linear dose-response relation between the extracts. The observed immunological properties of the Bulgarian allergen from Ambrosia artemisiifolia provide a possibility to use this product for a reliable diagnosis and effective specific immunotherapy of ragweed allergy in our country.
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Mugwort
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Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Ambrosia
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Art v 1, the major pollen allergen of the composite plant mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) has been identified recently as a thionin-like protein with a bulky arabinogalactan-protein moiety. A close relative of mugwort, ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is an important allergen source in North America, and, since 1990, ragweed has become a growing health concern in Europe as well. Weed pollen-sensitized patients demonstrated IgE reactivity to a ragweed pollen protein of apparently 29–31 kDa. This reaction could be inhibited by the mugwort allergen Art v 1. The purified ragweed pollen protein consisted of a 57-amino acid-long defensin-like domain with high homology to Art v 1 and a C-terminal proline-rich domain. This part contained hydroxyproline-linked arabinogalactan chains with one galactose and 5 to 20 and more α-arabinofuranosyl residues with some β-arabinoses in terminal positions as revealed by high field NMR. The ragweed protein contained only small amounts of the single hydroxyproline-linked β-arabinosyl residues, which form an important IgE binding determinant in Art v 1. cDNA clones for this protein were obtained from ragweed flowers. Immunological characterization revealed that the recombinant ragweed protein reacted with >30% of the weed pollen allergic patients. Therefore, this protein from ragweed pollen constitutes a novel important ragweed allergen and has been designated Amb a 4. Art v 1, the major pollen allergen of the composite plant mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) has been identified recently as a thionin-like protein with a bulky arabinogalactan-protein moiety. A close relative of mugwort, ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is an important allergen source in North America, and, since 1990, ragweed has become a growing health concern in Europe as well. Weed pollen-sensitized patients demonstrated IgE reactivity to a ragweed pollen protein of apparently 29–31 kDa. This reaction could be inhibited by the mugwort allergen Art v 1. The purified ragweed pollen protein consisted of a 57-amino acid-long defensin-like domain with high homology to Art v 1 and a C-terminal proline-rich domain. This part contained hydroxyproline-linked arabinogalactan chains with one galactose and 5 to 20 and more α-arabinofuranosyl residues with some β-arabinoses in terminal positions as revealed by high field NMR. The ragweed protein contained only small amounts of the single hydroxyproline-linked β-arabinosyl residues, which form an important IgE binding determinant in Art v 1. cDNA clones for this protein were obtained from ragweed flowers. Immunological characterization revealed that the recombinant ragweed protein reacted with >30% of the weed pollen allergic patients. Therefore, this protein from ragweed pollen constitutes a novel important ragweed allergen and has been designated Amb a 4.
Mugwort
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Ambrosia
Homology
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Conclusion: Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity towards the major mugwort allergen Art v 1 is a good indicator for Art v sensitization. Allergens from the ragweed species Amb t and Amb a possibly share common IgE-binding epitopes. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the reactivity pattern of IgE in Chinese patients with weed pollen-induced allergic rhinitis. Methods: Sera from 50 weed pollen-induced allergic rhinitis patients were tested for specific serum IgE reactivity against allergenic extracts of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, Art v), short ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Amb a), giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida, Amb t), and single allergens of Art v 1, Art v 3, Amb a 1, and profilin. Results: Sera from 88% of the patients demonstrated positive specific IgE reactivity to Art v, and of these 82% were positive to Art v 1. Sera from 38% of the patients showed positive specific IgE reactivity to both ragweed species Amb t and Amb a. A strong correlation was found between the specific IgE levels of Amb t and Amb a. Of the Amb a IgE-positive patients, 38% were positive for Amb a 1. Of all patient sera tested, 12% were specific IgE-positive to profilin.
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Mugwort
Ambrosia
Cross-reactivity
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Ambrosia
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Proteome
Hay fever
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Due to its high allergenic potential Ambrosia artemisiifolia has become a health threat in many European countries during the last few decades. Hence, several cities and communities initiated ragweed eradication campaigns. In Berlin, Germany, so-called Ambrosia scouts are being assigned the task of finding and eliminating this weed. We sought to evaluate the potential risk of sensitization and allergy in these individuals.In order to assess the risk of sensitization and allergy, we followed-up 20 Ambrosia scouts by skin-prick test with inhalant allergens, immunoserological and pulmonary function tests. Additionally, medical conditions were evaluated by a questionnaire especially designed for this study. Despite close contact to ragweed over a median duration of 13.8 months, none of the participants became sensitized or allergic to ragweed. One individual developed a clinical non-relevant sensitization towards the taxiconomically-related plant mugwort. A decline in relative FEV1 was most probably due to heavy smoking.Our surprising findings suggest that intensive contact and exposure to high ragweed pollen concentrations do not necessarily result in sensitization and/or allergy, meaning that the allergenic potential of this weed might be lower than hitherto expected. However, it is also conceivable that continuous exposure to high allergen levels induced tolerance in the ragweed workers. Due to the relatively small number of subjects studied, our results might be biased and therefore investigations on larger study groups are needed.
Respiratory Hypersensitivity
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Typical frenching of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), as described by Wolf (8), is recognized as producing short internodes, loss of apical dominance, and the development of a rosette of many leaves (polyphylly), giving a witches'-broom effect. The first symptoms appear as a pinhead chlorosis, followed by very chlorotic, newly developing leaves which narrowly elongate with wavy margins. It is possible that the tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is the best indicator plant to determine the presence of the frenching factor in the soil. This peculiar development of the leaves of tobacco has never been found to be associated with a pathogenic bacterium, a fungus, or a virus. It is generally recognized as a nonparasitic disease and therefore considered physiological. Steinberg (5, ?) has worked with many tobacco soil organisms which are not considered pathogenic but which might produce a diffusate sufficiently toxic to produce the symptoms of frenching. One of these, Bacillus cereus Frankland and Frankland, was found to be capable of producing the frenching symptoms. Steinberg (7) has found this organism to be present in greater numbers in the rhizosphere of tobacco in soils that contained frenched tobacco than in the soils with normal plants. The origin of this disease is some soil factor. The frenching factor is not in all soils but has been found, in particular, in soils which are known to remain moist during a prolonged drought period, even though tobacco has never been grown in such soils. Continuing the work previously reported (2, 3), it has been demonstrated that the frenching factor, if present, can be made to show its presence by growing tobacco plants at a soil temperature of 35? C. Usually within a period of 5 to 15 days frenching symptoms appear in the newly developing leaves, becoming more distinct and severe with succeeding leaves. When the soil temperature is 21? C, or less, the presence of the frenching factor does not become evident.
Chlorosis
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Stellaria media
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