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Enolases are highly conserved fungal allergens
M Breitenbach1, B Simon, G Probst
1Department of Genetics and General Biology, University of Salzburg, Austria. michael.breitenbach@sbg.ac.at
International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
|May 1, 1997
Summary
Enolases are identified as major fungal allergens in molds like Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum. This finding advances the diagnosis and treatment of mold allergies by pinpointing key allergenic proteins.
Area of Science:
- * Molecular biology
- * Immunology
- * Mycology
Background:
- * Identifying fungal allergens is crucial for improving mold allergy diagnosis and therapy.
- * Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum are common mold species implicated in allergies.
- * Enolases (EC 4.2.1.11) were investigated as potential major allergens.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To identify and characterize major fungal allergens from Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum.
- * To determine the prevalence of allergy to enolases in patients with mold allergies.
- * To assess the cross-reactivity of enolase allergens between different fungal species.
Main Methods:
- * Cloning enolases from cDNA libraries of Alternaria and Cladosporium using patient sera for screening.
- * Expressing recombinant non-fusion enolase proteins.
- * Utilizing immunoblot competition assays and patient serum reactivity tests.
Main Results:
- * Sequencing revealed high similarity between the studied enolases and other fungal enolases.
- * Epitopes on Alternaria and Cladosporium enolases showed near-complete identity.
- * Approximately 50% of patient sera reactive to mold allergens showed strong reactivity to recombinant enolases, indicating cross-reactivity.
Conclusions:
- * Enolases are highly conserved and function as major allergens in fungi.
- * Understanding enolase allergenicity can lead to better diagnostic tools and targeted therapies for mold allergies.