Allergenic synthetic peptide corresponding to the second calcium-binding loop of cod allergen M

A peptide with the sequence of the second calcium-binding loop (EF loop) of cod Allergen M was synthesized by automatic solid-phase technique. The synthetic peptide corresponded to residues 88-103 of the known primary structure of Allergen M. The immunochemical reactivity of this loop, previously demonstrated for the overlapping enzymic fragments, was confirmed by using the synthetic preparation. The purified hexadecapeptide was shown to bind specifically to reaginic IgE from sera of cod-allergic individuals, in both in vivo and in vitro tests systems. It could also bind rabbit anti-Allergen M, as shown by rocket line immunoelectrophoresis and quantitative precipitation inhibition techniques. The findings emphasized that the immunological reactivity of the synthetic peptide (88-103) was compatible with a monovalent haptenic function: blocking and not eliciting allergic reactions.