Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
06:34
A Component-resolved Diagnostic Approach for a Study on Grass Pollen Allergens in Chinese Southerners with Allergic Rhinitis and/or Asthma
Published on: June 4, 2017
Array-based profiling of ragweed and mugwort pollen allergens
G Gadermaier1, N Wopfner, M Wallner
1Christian Doppler laboratory for allergy diagnosis and therapy, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Allergy
|October 18, 2008
Summary
Diagnosing ragweed and mugwort pollen allergies is challenging due to cross-reactivity. Molecule-based diagnosis using microarray and ELISA helps differentiate these allergies and guides immunotherapy selection.
Area of Science:
- Allergy and Immunology
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Ragweed and mugwort pollen cause significant allergic reactions in late summer and autumn.
- Distinguishing between these pollen allergies is difficult for allergists due to shared allergens and similar flowering times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess sensitization patterns in weed-allergic patients using a comprehensive panel of purified allergens.
- To compare results from allergen microarray and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for molecule-based allergy diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Purification and recombinant expression of eight ragweed and six mugwort pollen allergens.
- Utilizing protein microarray slides and ELISA plates for allergen testing.
- Analyzing serum IgE reactivity from 19 allergic individuals against single molecules.
Main Results:
- All ragweed-allergic patients showed sensitization to Amb a 1, with 30% being monosensitized.
- Art v 1 and Art v 3 were recognized by 89% of mugwort-allergic patients.
- Significant cross-reactivity was noted, particularly with profilin and non-specific lipid transfer proteins, with comparable results between microarray and ELISA.
Conclusions:
- Molecule-based diagnosis is crucial for differentiating ragweed and mugwort pollen allergies.
- This approach aids in selecting the correct allergen source for effective specific immunotherapy.
