Journal List > Allergy Asthma Respir Dis > v.5(4) > 1059262

Jung, Yang, Lee, Kim, and Park: Evaluation of the allergenic relationship between Humulus japonicus and Humulus lupulus pollen allergens

Abstract

Purpose

Humulus japonicus pollen (Hop J) is a major cause of inhalant allergy in autumn of the Far East countries, and its allergenic potency has been increasing with climate changes. Allergen immunotherapy has been considered in Hop J-sensitized allergic patients; however, Hop J allergen extracts for immunotherapy are not commercially available. We speculate that Humulus lupulus pollen (Hop L) belonged to the same genus may share cross-reacting allergens with Hop J and evaluated allergenic relationships between these 2 pollens.

Methods

Thirteen patients with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma sensitive to Hop J pollens were enrolled in Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea. Hop J pollens were collected locally and lyophilized extracts were prepared, while lyophilized Hop L extracts were provided by Lofarma S.p.A. IgE-ELISA/enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) inhibition tests, sodium dodecyl sulphate-poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and IgE-immunoblot/immunoblot inhibition analysis using sera from the enrolled subjects were performed.

Results

All patients had high serum specific IgE to both Hop J and Hop L extracts by ELISA, but no significant correlation was found between these 2 extracts. ELISA inhibition tests showed significant dose-dependent inhibitions on IgE-bindings to Hop L with serial additions of Hop J extracts in a dose-dependent manner, while minimal inhibitions of IgE binding to Hop J were noted with additions of Hop L. IgE-immunoblot analysis demonstrated that the major allergenic component of Hop J at 12 kDa was inhibited by Hop J, while no inhibitions were noted by Hop L extracts on IgE-immunoblot inhibition analysis.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that there may not be a significant cross-allergenicity between Hop J and Hop L.

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Fig. 1.
Detection of serum specific IgE antibodies to Humulus japonicus (Hop J) (A) and Humulus lupulus (Hop L) (B) pollen extracts by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in sera from 13 allergic rhinitis and/or asthma patients sensitive to Hop J pollens (●) and 30 normal controls (□). Horizontal bars indicate the re-spective cutoff values.
aard-5-217f1.tif
Fig. 2.
IgE-ELISA inhibition tests with serial additions of Humulus japonicus (Hop J) pollen extracts (●), Humulus lupulus (Hop L) pollen extracts (■), and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) extracts (▲) in the sera from allergic rhinitis and/or asthma patients sensitive to Hop J pollens. Patient number 4 (A), number 8 (B), and number 11 (C). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
aard-5-217f2.tif
Fig. 3.
Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis findings of Humulus japonicus and Humulus lupulus pollen extracts using 4%–20% gel. Hop J1, 15 μg of Humulus japonicus pollen extracts; Hop J2, 30 μg of Humulus japonicus pollen extracts; Hop L1, 15 μg of Humulus lupulus pollen extracts; Hop L2, 30 μg of Humulus lupulus pollen extracts.
aard-5-217f3.tif
Fig. 4.
IgE-immunoblot analysis of Humulus japonicus and Humulus lupulus pollen extracts in the sera from allergic rhinitis and/or asthma patients sensitive to Hop J pollens. Arrow indicate the major allergenic component of Humulus japonicus pollen extracts. Group A, the subjects having IgE-binding components to Humulus japonicus pollen extracts; group B, the subjects having IgE-binding components to both pollen extracts; J, Using Humulus japonicus pollen extracts; L, Humulus lupulus pollen extracts; NC, normal controls.
aard-5-217f4.tif
Fig. 5.
IgE-immunoblot inhibition with Humulus japonicus (Hop J) and Humulus lupulus (Hop L) pollen extracts. Group A, the subjects having IgE-binding components to Humulus japonicus pollen extracts; group B, the subjects having IgE-binding components to both pollen extracts; NC, normal controls; J, the membrane of Humulus japonicus pollen extracts; L, the membrane of Humulus lupulus pollen extracts.
aard-5-217f5.tif
Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the study patients
Patient No. Sex/age (yr) Diagnosis Total IgE (kU/L) sIgE to Hop J (kU/L) sIgE to Hop J (O. D.×1,000) sIgE to Hop L (O. D.×1,000)
1 F/38 BA+AR+AD 445 >100 1,790 195
2 F/53 AR+AC 914 92.5 1,540 1,160
3 M/16 BA+AR+AC 422 39.0 1,450 749
4 F/45 AR+AC+OAS 119 39.7 1,412 678
5 F/49 BA+AR+AC+OAS 322 >100 1,733 1,352
6 F/18 BA+AR+AD 1,483 99.7 1,439 1,012
7 F/47 BA+AR+AC 377 72.8 1,321 470
8 M/57 BA+AR+AC 998 >100 1,653 1,431
9 M/14 BA+AR >5,000 >100 1,800 1,281
10 F/51 BA+AR+AC 316 >100 1,611 638
11 F/16 AR+AC+OAS 392 57.1 1,393 1,464
12 F/49 BA+AR 2,938 81.5 1,450 816
13 F/35 AR+AC+AD+OAS 821 27.2 1,410 169

sIgE, specific immunoglobulin E; Hop J, Humulus japonicus; Hop L, Humulus lupulus; BA, bronchial asthma; AR, allergic rhinitis; AC, allergic conjunctivitis; AD, atopic dermatitis; OAS, oral allergy syndrome.

Values were measured by ImmunoCAP (ThermoFisher Scientific Inc., Waltham, MA, USA).

Values were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

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