Original Paper

Mercurialis annua: Characterization of Main Allergens and Cross-Reactivity with Other Species
Angel Vallverdú^a, Pilar García-Ortega^b, Jorge Martínez^a, Alberto Martínez^a, María Isabel Esteban^c, Montserrat de Molina^d, Laureano Fernández-Távora^e, Javier Fernández^f, Borja Bartolomé^a, Ricardo Palacios<sup>a

a</sup>IFIDESA-ARISTEGUI, Bilbao,
^bHospital Joan XXIII, Tarragona,
^cHospital General, Segovia,
^dHospital Cruz Roja, Hospitalet de Llobregat,
^eAmbulatorio Virgen de la Cinta, Huelva, and
^fHospital General, Elche, Spain

Address of Corresponding Author

Int Arch Allergy Immunol 1997;112:356-364 (DOI: 10.1159/000237480)

  Key Words

• Pollen allergy
• Mercurialis annua
• Pollen antigenic cross-reactivity
• Relevant allergen
• Profilin

  Abstract

A multicentric study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of Mercurialis annua pollen sensitization in several areas of Spain and to select a population sample to characterize the main allergenic components in M. annua pollen. Patients were recruited from six hospitals in Spain. Out of 420 patients sensitized to pollens, 195 (46.4%) showed positive skin tests to M. annua, thus evidencing the high level of sensitization to the pollen of this plant in Spain. Thirty-seven sera with RAST class values to M. annua 3 were selected for SDS-PAGE immunoblotting analysis. Two main allergenic components with molecular weigths of 15.8 and 14.1 kD were detected in 59 and 51% of the sera, respectively, and they were identified as profilins. Isolation of the relevant allergens was made by affinity chromatography on a poly-L-proline -Sepharose column, followed by gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography in the micropreparative SMART® System. A significant but low antigenic cross-reactivity between M. annua and Olea europaea, Fraxinus elatior, Ricinus communis, Salsola kali, Parietaria judaica and Artemisia vulgaris was demonstrated by several in vitro techniques.

Copyright © 1997 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Correspondence to: Dr. J. Martínez, IFIDESA-ARISTEGUI, R + D Department Alda. Urquijo, 27, E-48008 Bilbao (Spain), Tel. +34.4.4438000, Fax +34.4.4438016 E-Mail: IM000001@SARENET.ES

  Article Information

Received: January 15, 1996
Accepted after revision: November 11, 1996
Published online: September 04, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 9