IgE-binding capacity of recombinant timothy grass (Phleum pratense) pollen allergens

A panel of 60 cDNA clones coding for IgE-binding proteins from timothy grass pollen was immunocharacterized with sera from 30 patients allergic to grass pollen and antibodies raised against natural grass pollen allergens. In the cases of five representative patients in whom the IgE reactivity pattern with the recombinant allergens had been determined, IgE immunoadsorption experiments were performed. Recombinant Phl p I, Phl p V, and Phl p II and recombinant timothy grass profilin were used for immunoadsorption of the sera, and the percentage of remaining grass pollen-specific IgE was estimated. Although most of the patients showed IgE reactivity to a number of different natural and recombinant timothy grass pollen allergens, up to 66% of IgE directed against blotted total natural grass pollen allergens could be immunoadsorbed from the sera with recombinant Phl p V and Phl p I. The data point to the usefulness of recombinant allergens not only to determine IgE specificities of allergic patients but also to estimate the percentage of specific IgE that individuals produce against certain allergens. The fact that only a limited number of recombinant timothy grass pollen allergens account for a high percentage of grass pollen-specific IgE points to the possible usefulness of recombinant allergens not only for in vitro diagnosis but probably also for specific immunotherapy.