Allergenic components of ganoderma applanatum

Spores of Ganoderma applanatum were collected by gravity. The spore extract was prepared and its biochemical and immunological properties were examined. In isoelectric focusing, the extract had 10–12 bands with pl values between 3.5 to 6.0, the strongest being at 3.5, 3.75, 4.55 and 5.2. In crossedradioimmunoelectrophoresis using human atopic sera, the extract had two dominant and two minor allergens. In IgE immunoblots of sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the extract showed reactivity at 82, 45, 33, 26, 16, 11 kDa MW, the strongest being at 45 kDa MW. These results indicate that G. applanatum contains a complex mixture of allergens.     

Isolation of cladosporium trichoides from nature

The effect of osmotic pressure and salinity on the production of conidia and growth of Aspergillus niger and Paecilomyces lilacinum, isolated from the soil, have been studied in this investigation. The maximum production of conidia in both species was observed in the nutrient medium containing 1% NaCl whereas maximum growth was recorded in the nutrient medium containing 3% NaCl. It has been thus observed that the salinity and the osmotic pressure related to it effect the reproductive as well as the vegetative development of both these species, and these effects have been observed to be different. The sensitivity of both fungal species to the salt was also investigated. Conidia were not observed in the P. lilacinum species grown in nutrient medium with 5% NaCl whereas conidial development did take place in the case of Aspergillus niger grown in the nutrient medium containing 5% NaCl.     

Tolerance of Oscillatoria isolates to agrochemicals and pyrethroid components

Four isolates of Oscillatoria sp from an Indian paddy field have been tested for their tolerance to agrochemicals and pyrethroid components. The isolates possessed considerable tolerance to agrochemicals and reduced toxicity of pyrethroid components towards fish.     

植物源过敏蛋白

植物过敏原是最普遍的一类过敏原,也是与人类关系最密切的一类过敏原。本文简单介绍了植物中蛋白质类过敏原的种类、特性及低敏植物性食品开发等研究新进展。     

空气致敏花粉污染研究的最新进展

孢粉是一种重要的空气致敏原,可引起不同程度的花粉症,严重困扰人们的日常生活。目前,对花粉症的研究日趋深入。本文综述了花粉飘散规律及预报,致敏原的确定,分子生物学和免疫治疗方面的最新进展,并提出了展望。     

Allergenic tropomyosins and their cross-reactivities

The ingestion or inhalation of some proteins may lead to adverse immune reactions. Allergens may trigger allergic reactions in genetically predisposed individuals when they are absorbed through the skin or make contact with mucous membranes. An allergic disease often deteriorates the quality of life and may sometimes be life-threatening due to anaphylactic shock. A number of allergens have been characterized from various multicellular organisms to date. It is thought to be reasonable to pay a special attention to the substance which is highly cross-reactive and which causes adverse responses in the molecules that are not sensitized but similar to the sensitized allergen. Tropomyosin has been described as an important food allergen in shrimp, lobster, crab, oysters, squid, and other invertebrates. Allergic reactions to shellfish and mollusks are often cross-reactive, which may be explained by the highly conserved amino acid sequences of tropomyosins among invertebrates, but vertebrate tropomyosins are not known to be allergenic. Several tropomyosins from domestic arthropods have been reported to be allergenic. Recently, it was suggested that an infection of helminthic parasites might lead to sensitization to tropomyosin and elicit allergic reactions to other invertebrates. Much effort has been made to characterize these allergenic tropomyosins from various sources. We will discuss the physicochemical characteristics and the potential application of tropomyosin for the diagnosis and therapeutics of allergic disorders.     

Allergenic Implications of Airborne Leptosphaeria Ascospores

In order to investigate potential acroallergens of the Auckland region, a quantitative and qualitative study of the air spora was conducted at three different sites over the 12-month period, September 1979 to August 1980. Burkard volumetric spore traps were operated simultaneously at each of the three sites viz. Mt. Eden, Henderson and Waitakeres, located on a 20-km axis extending westward from Auckland City and encompassing residential, horticultural, agricultural, commercial and forested contexts. In the individual category of ascomycetous fungi, Leptosphaeria ascospores were recorded as an important component of air spora of the two non-forested sites. Ascospores concentration displayed a seasonal peak in late summer (February) and early autumn (March) and a diel periodicity with a distinct nocturnal maxima at all sites, confirming Leptosphaeria to be a component of the “rising air” or “damp-air spora”. The maximum concentration exceeded 4430 m^?3 of air around midnight (24/25 March, early autumn). A comparison of the results from the three sites showed that 61% of the total Leptosphaeria ascospores were trapped at Henderson (a satellite town in a rural setting) 29% at Mt. Eden (commercial/residential area) and 10% at Waitakeres (mainly forest site). Our data for Leptosphaeria ascospores combined with a high regional incidence of respiratory allergic diseases particularly bronchial asthma in late summer and autumn, indicate that a thorough investigation of the role of Leptosphaeria as a potential aeroallergen is warranted.     

Allergenic proteins of natural rubber latex

As the living cytoplasm of laticiferous cells, Hevea brasiliensis latex is a rich blend of organic substances that include a mélange of proteins. A small number of these proteins have given rise to the problem of latex allergy. The salient characteristics of H. brasiliensis latex allergens that are recognized by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) are reviewed. These are the proteins associated with the rubber particles, the cytosolic C-serum proteins and the B-serum proteins that originate mainly from the lutoids. Procedures for the isolation and purification of latex allergens are discussed, from latex collection in the field to various preparative approaches adopted in the laboratory. As interest in recombinant latex allergens increases, there is a need to validate recombinant proteins to ascertain equivalence with their native counterparts when used in immunological studies, diagnostics, and immunotherapy.     

Allergenic evaluation of Malassezia furfur crude extracts

Crude extracts of the lipophilic yeast Malassezia furfur were obtained from 2, 6, 10 and 28 day old cultures. The in vitro cultivation periods corresponded, respectively, to the lag phase, middle of the log phase, end of log phase and the decline phase of the growth curve, which was based on viable cell counts obtained with a fluorescent viability test. Biochemical analyses showed that the protein and carbohydrate contents were greater in day 10 extracts. Seventy patients with different allergic manifestations and 30 healthy volunteers were skin prick tested using the extracts. Of these, thirteen (18.57%) patients gave positive responses. SDS PAGE gradient electrophoretic profiles of the preparations indicated that the 28 day extracts contained the greatest number of protein bands with molecular weights ranging mostly between 30 and 94 kDa. Immunoblots incubated with individual patient sera showed that four IgE binding M. furfur allergens of approximately 88, 61, 52 and 39 kDa were present in the 28 day extracts. The components identified could be used for detecting IgE mediated responses to M. furfur among individuals affected with different allergic conditions.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Non-toxic isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis producing parasporal inclusions with unusual protein components

Glucose mineralization rate by epilithon from some (calcareous) streams increased with increase in added glucose concentration and a straight line relationship was established. With epilithon from other (acid) streams, saturation was achieved hence V _max could be estimated by incubation at a single substrate concentration.     

alpha-Amylase inhibitor from fungus Cladosporium herbarum F-828

A strain of fungus Cladosporium herbarum extracellularly produced an inhibitor specific for mammalian alpha-amylase. The inhibitor was purified 81-fold by freeze-thawing, heat treatment, and column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-75, DEAE-Sephacel, and Bio-Gel P-100. An apparent molecular weight of approximately 18,000 was estimated for the inhibitor using Bio-Gel P-100 filtration. The purified inhibitor preparation was a glycoprotein containing about 10% carbohydrate. The amino acid analysis of the inhibitor showed abundances of Gly, Asp, Glu, Ser, Ala, and Thr residues. The inhibitor was stable between pH 5 and 12 at 4 degrees C, and below 80 degrees C at pH 7.0. A binary complex formation out of equimolar amounts of the inhibitor and alpha-amylase, was demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and Bio-Gel P-100 chromatography. Kinetic studies exhibited that the inhibitor noncompetitively inhibited the enzyme reaction with a Ki value of 2.3 approximately 4.8 x 10(-10) M, by combining with the enzyme molecule at a different site from the substrate binding site.     

Allergenic activity of mites of the genus Dermatophagoides

The allergenic activities of the laboratory batches of D. farinae allergens have been studied by the methods of indirect mast-cell degranulation, neuroglial cytocrit, electrophoretic mobility changes. D. farinae allergens have been shown to possess specific activity. The method of changes in the electrophoretic mobility of sheep red blood cells has demonstrated that D. pteronyssimus and D. farinae allergens possess common allergenic properties.     

Allergenic pollen and pollinosis in Warsaw

Summary Our study of fifty two hay fever patients included twenty six solely allergic to grass pollen and twenty six exhibiting allergy to various pollen species, such as hazel, birch, oak, poplar, andArtemisia. Their total and specific IgE response was evalutated by the immunoenzymatic method, while clinical reactivity was assessed by recording nasal and bronchial symptom scores between mid-March and mid-July. Simultaneously pollen counts were made. Polysensitized patients showed significantly higher levels of both total and specific IgE, which testifies to the enhanced quantitative and qualitative IgE. Multisensitized patients reacted earlier than patients sensitized to grass pollen only, which confirms that non-grass plants flowering only in the spring cause the priming effect on the nasal and bronchial mucosa. The early symptoms may be attributable to tree pollen sensitivity or may refletct higher grass pollen IgE levels in the polysensitized group. Characteristically, nasal symptoms preceded bronchial symptoms of several weeks.On comparing nasal washing from the polysensitized patients to washing from patients with grass pollen, we found much cytological material with the predominance of eosinophils.     

NADP-dependent mannitol dehydrogenase, a major allergen of Cladosporium herbarum

Cladosporium herbarum is an important allergenic fungal species that has been reported to cause allergic diseases in nearly all climatic zones. 5-30% of the allergic population displays IgE antibodies against molds. Sensitization to Cladosporium has often been associated with severe asthma and less frequently with chronic urticaria and atopic eczema. However, no dominant major allergen of this species has been found so far. We present cloning, production, and characterization of NADP-dependent mannitol dehydrogenase of C. herbarum (Cla h 8) and show that this protein is a major allergen that is recognized by IgE antibodies of approximately 57% of all Cladosporium allergic patients. This is the highest percentage of patients reacting with any Cladosporium allergen characterized so far. Cla h 8 was purified to homogeneity by standard chromatographic methods, and both N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences of protein fragments were determined. Enzymatic analysis of the purified natural protein revealed that this allergen represents a NADP-dependent mannitol dehydrogenase that interconverts mannitol and d-fructose. It is a soluble, non-glycosylated cytoplasmic protein. Two-dimensional protein analysis indicated that mannitol dehydrogenase is present as a single isoform. The cDNA encoding Cla h 8 was cloned from a lambda-ZAP library constructed from hyphae and spores. The recombinant non-fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Its immunological and biochemical identity with the natural protein was shown by enzyme activity tests, CD spectroscopy, IgE immunoblots with sera of patients, and by skin prick testing of Cladosporium allergic patients. This protein therefore is a new major allergen of C. herbarum.     

Allergenic evaluation of Malassezia furfur crude extracts

Crude extracts of the lipophilic yeast Malassezia furfur were obtained from 2, 6, 10 and 28 day old cultures. The in vitro cultivation periods corresponded, respectively, to the lag phase, middle of the log phase, end of log phase and the decline phase of the growth curve, which was based on viable cell counts obtained with a fluorescent viability test. Biochemical analyses showed that the protein and carbohydrate contents were greater in day 10 extracts. Seventy patients with different allergic manifestations and 30 healthy volunteers were skin prick tested using the extracts. Of these, thirteen (18.57%) patients gave positive responses. SDS PAGE gradient electrophoretic profiles of the preparations indicated that the 28 day extracts contained the greatest number of protein bands with molecular weights ranging mostly between 30 and 94 kDa. Immunoblots incubated with individual patient sera showed that four IgE binding M. furfur allergens of approximately 88, 61, 52 and 39 kDa were present in the 28 day extracts. The components identified could be used for detecting IgE mediated responses to M. furfur among individuals affected with different allergic conditions.