Profilin has been identified as an important cross-reactive allergen for patients suffering from multivalent type I allergy. The prevalent epitopic areas are located in regions with conserved sequence and secondary structure and overlap the binding sites for natural profilin ligands, indicating that the native ligand-free profilin acts as the original cross-sensitizing agent. Structural homology indicates that the basic features of the G actin-profilin interaction are conserved in all eukaryotic organisms, but suggests that mechanistic differences in the binding of proline-rich ligands may exist. The structure of BPP provides a molecular basis for understanding allergen cross-reactivity.

Worldwide more than 200 million individuals are allergic to group 1 grass pollen allergens. We have used the major timothy grass pollen allergen Phl p 1, which cross-reacts with most grass-, corn-, and monocot-derived group 1 allergens to develop a generally applicable strategy for the production of hypoallergenic allergy vaccines. On the basis of the experimentally determined B cell epitopes of Phl p 1, we have synthesized five synthetic peptides. These peptides are derived from the major Phl p 1 IgE epitopes and were between 28-32 amino acids long. We demonstrate by nuclear magnetic resonance that the peptides exhibit no secondary and tertiary structure and accordingly failed to bind IgE antibodies from grass pollen allergic patients. The five peptides, as well as an equimolar mixture thereof, lacked allergenic activity as demonstrated by basophil histamine release and skin test experiments in grass pollen allergic patients. When used as immunogens in mice and rabbits, the peptides induced protective IgG antibodies, which recognized the complete Phl p 1 wild-type allergen and group 1 allergens from other grass species. Moreover, peptide-induced antibodies inhibited the binding of grass pollen allergic patients IgE antibodies to the wild-type allergen. We thus demonstrate that synthetic hypoallergenic peptides derived from B cell epitopes of major allergens represent safe vaccine candidates for the treatment of IgE- mediated allergies.

Whether the modulation of antibody responses can contribute to the improvement of clinical symptoms in patients receiving allergen immunotherapy represents a controversial issue. We have used purified [seven recombinant (r) and one natural] timothy grasspollen allergens as well as recombinant B cell epitope‐containing fragments of the major timothy grass pollen allergen, Phl p 1, to investigate humoral immune responses in eight allergic patients receiving grass pollen‐specific immunotherapy. We found that the administration of aluminium hydroxide‐adsorbed grass pollen extract induced complex changes in allergen / epitope‐specific antibody responses: increases in IgG subclass (IgG1, IgG2, IgG4) responses against allergens recognized before the therapy were observed. All eight patients started to mount IgE and IgG4 responses to continuous Phl p 1 epitopes not recognized before the therapy and a de novo induction of IgE antibodies against new allergens was found in one patient. Evidence for a protective role of IgG antibodies specific for continuous Phl p 1 epitopes was provided by the demonstration that preincubation of rPhl p 1 with human serum containing therapy‐induced Phl p 1‐specific IgG inhibited rPhl p 1‐induced histamine release from basophils of a grass pollen‐allergic patient. Our finding that immunotherapy induced antibody responses against previously not recognized B cell epitopes indicates the vaccination character of this treatment. The fact that patients started to mount de novo IgE as well as protective IgG responses against epitopes may explain the unpredictability of specific immunotherapy performed with allergen extracts and emphasizes the need for novel forms of component‐resolved immunotherapy.