Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2017 Jul;5(4):217-222. 10.4168/aard.2017.5.4.217.

Evaluation of the allergenic relationship between Humulus japonicus and Humulus lupulus pollen allergens

• Jung CG
• Yang EM
• Lee JH
• Kim HM
• Park HS

• KMID: 2387650
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2017.5.4.217

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-polyacrylamide 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.

Keyword

Cross reactions; Humulus japonicas; Humulus lupulus; Pollen

MeSH Terms

Allergens*
Asthma
Climate Change
Cross Reactions
Desensitization, Immunologic
Electrophoresis
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Far East
Gyeonggi-do
Humans
Humulus*
Hypersensitivity
Immunoglobulin E
Immunotherapy
Korea
Pollen*
Rhinitis, Allergic
Sodium
Allergens
Immunoglobulin E
Sodium

Figure

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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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

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