Art v 1, the major allergen of mugwort pollen

Research project P 14413 Art v 1, the major allergen of mugwort pollen Fatima FERREIRA 08.05.2000 Pollen from mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is one of the main allergen source in central Europe and parts of Asia during late summer. Among patients suffering from pollinosis, the incidence of allergic disease caused by mugwort pollen is between 10 and 14%. Despite considerable efforts of different groups in the characterization of mugwort pollen allergens, so far no information about the complete structure and no molecular cloning data of any mugwort pollen allergen have been reported. For detailed molecular analysis of these allergens and the production of recombinant proteins, it is necessary to isolate the cDNA clones coding for mugwort pollen allergens. In this project we will perform the molecular and immunological characterization of Art v 1, the major allergen of mugwort pollen. For this purpose we plan to use the Art v 1 cDNA to produce recombinant non-fusion proteins in bacterial (E. coli) expression systems, as well as in plant expression systems. The recombinant Art v 1 proteins will be tested for their in vitro IgE-binding properties using a large panel of mugwort pollen allergic patients` sera, and their immunological and biochemical properties compared to natural Art v 1 purified from mugwort pollen. We will also perform experiments aiming at the identification of IgE-binding structures/motifs (B-cell epitopes) and determination of the importance of sugar residues on IgE recognition of Art v 1. Finally, purified natural and recombinant Art v 1 will be tested for T cell recognition using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from mugwort- allergic patients in proliferation assays. This well-defined and characterized recombinant allergen will constitute a valuable tool for the diagnosis and treatment of mugwort pollen allergy.