LOL-P-XI, A NEW MAJOR GRASS-POLLEN ALLERGEN, IS A MEMBER OF A FAMILY OF SOYBEAN TRYPSIN INHIBITOR-RELATED PROTEINS

Background: Monoclonal antibodies were obtained against an unknown allergen from Lolium perenne grass pollen. The allergen had an apparent molecular mass of 18 kd on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Earlier immunoblotting studies had shown that carbohydrate-specific IgG antibodies recognize an antigen of similar size. Objective: We sought to characterize the allergen biochemically and immunologically. Methods: The amino acid sequence of the allergen was determined by automated. Edman degradation, and its monosaccharide composition was determined by gas chromatographic analysis. A panel of 270 grass pollen-positive sera was assessed in a RAST with the purified allergen. Protease digestion (proteinase K) and chemical deglycosylation (trifluoromethane sulfonic acid) were used to distinguish between carbohydrate and peptide epitopes for IgE antibodies. Results: The allergen was shown to be a glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 16 kd, of which 8% is carbohydrate. Its amino acid sequence shares 32% homology with soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) but lacks its active site. No homology was found with known grass pollen allergens hence it was designated Lol p XI. A high degree of homology (44%) was found with a tree pollen allergen, Ole e I, the major allergen of olive pollen. More than 65% of grass pollen-positive sera had IgE against Lol p XI IgE reactivity was demonstrated both with the carbohydrate moiety and the peptide backbone. Conclusions: Lol p XI is a new major grass pollen allergen carrying an IgE-binding carbohydrate determinant Lol p XI is structurally related to the major allergen from olive pollen.