Forschungsdatenbank PMU-SQQUID

PMU-Autor/inn/en

Abstract

Background Almost 100 million allergic patients are sensitized to the major birch pollen allergen, Bet v 1, a 17 kDa protein containing most of the IgE epitopes present in pollens of trees belonging to the Fagales order and plant-derived food. Objective Our aim was to develop an approach for the rational design of B cell epitope-derived, non-allergenic peptide allergy vaccines. Methods According to the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of birch pollen allergen, Bet v 1, six peptides comprising 25-32 preferably solvent-exposed amino acids were synthesized. Results Because of lack of secondary structure, the peptides showed no allergenic activity in allergic patients. In a mouse model of birch pollen allergy, peptide vaccination induced Bet v 1-specific IgG and prevented IgE-mediated allergic sensitization to Bet v 1. The protective role of peptide-induced blocking antibodies is demonstrated by inhibition of allergic patients IgE binding to the allergen and by blocking of allergen-induced basophil degranulation. Conclusion Our results indicate the mechanistic importance of blocking antibodies for allergy vaccination and present a B cell epitope-based approach for the rational design of safe peptide allergy vaccines whenever the structure of the disease-eliciting allergen is known.

Useful keywords (using NLM MeSH Indexing)

Allergens/immunology*

Amino Acid Sequence

Animals

Antigens, Plant

B-Lymphocytes/immunology

Basophils/immunology

Betula/immunology*

Desensitization, Immunologic/methods

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods

Epitopes/immunology

Histamine Release/immunology

Humans

Hypersensitivity, Immediate/prevention*

control*

Immunoglobulin E/immunology

Immunoglobulin G/immunology

Mice

Peptides/immunology

Pollen/immunology*

Protein Structure, Tertiary

Rabbits

Rats

Skin Tests/methods

Vaccines/immunology*

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