M. Sweeney et al., IMMUNODETECTION AND COMPARISON OF MELALEUCA, BOTTLEBRUSH, AND BAHIA POLLENS, International archives of allergy and immunology, 105(3), 1994, pp. 289-296
Pollen extracts of two trees, Callistemon citrinis (bottlebrush) and M
elaleuca leucadendron (melaleuca), as well as the grass Paspalum notat
um (bahia) were analyzed for antigenic and allergenic cross-reactivity
using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. SDS-PAGE analysis of all three p
ollen extracts revealed multiple antigenic components which were react
ive with rabbit antisera made to each pollen extract. Comparison of re
duced and nonreduced mobility patterns suggested the possible presence
of multichain proteins linked by disulfide bonds. Clinical studies de
monstrated that 81% of the patients skin test positive to at least one
of the pollens were also positive to the other two. Sixty-three perce
nt of allergic individuals studied showed a high correlation between s
kin test results and the number of IgE-binding components analyzed by
immunoblotting. These IgE-reactive components were detected in the mol
ecular weight range of 29-66 kD. Western blot analysis detected more I
gE-binding components in bahia pollen extracts as compared with the tr
ee pollens, consistent with other reports of grass pollens being more
allergenic than those from trees and weeds. Each patient's serum had a
unique IgE-binding pattern, indicating heterogeneity of immune respon
se; however, common major determinants were detected by a large percen
tage of the allergic patient's sera.