Isolation and identification of pollen allergens of Artemisia scoparia

The allergenic proteins of Artemisia scoparia pollen were separated and identified with ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and RAST-inhibition techniques. The important allergenic component Artemisia VI b that constitutes 29% of total protein in the extract was purified to homogeneity. It was found to be an acidic protein with isoelectric point 3.8 and molecular weight of 14,300. It was rich in carbohydrate, but the carbohydrate portion did not appear to be important for allergenicity. In the crossed immunoelectrophoresis reference pattern of the whole pollen extract, 37 precipitin lines could be identified on the anodic side, whereas Artemisia VI b could be observed as a single precipitin line. Immunologically, the whole pollen extract of A. scoparia demonstrated shared antigenic and allergenic determinants with Ageratum conyzoides-pollen extract. The use of fast protein liquid chromatography in partial purification of allergenic components is also discussed.