Epitope grafting, re-creating a conformational Bet v 1 antibody epitope on the surface of the homologous apple allergen Mal d 1.

ABSTRACT: Birch-allergic patients often experience oral allergy syndrome upon ingestion of vegetables and fruits, most prominently apple, that is caused by antibody cross-reactivity of the IgE antibodies in patients to proteins sharing molecular surface structures with the major birch pollen group 1 allergen from Betula verrucosa (Bet v 1). Still, to what extent two molecular surfaces need to be similar for clinically relevant antibody cross-reactivity to occur is unknown. Here, we describe the grafting of a defined conformational antibody epitope from Bet v 1 onto the surface of the homologous apple allergen Malus domestica group 1 (Mal d 1). Engineering of the epitope was accomplished by genetic engineering substituting amino acid residues in Mal d 1 differing between Bet v 1 and Mal d 1 within th

SUBMITTER: Holm J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3093831 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature