Decrease in the Allergenicity of Japanese Cedar Pollen Allergen by Treatment with Positive and Negative Cluster Ions

Abstract

Background: Japanese cedar pollinosis is a severe allergic disease in Japan. The most effective means of decreasing allergic inflammation reactions is still avoidance of the aeroallergen. Recently, a novel air purification system using positively and negatively charged cluster ions was developed to create comfortable living environments. We aimed to assess the ability of existing technology to lower allergenicity of Japanese cedar pollen. Methods: A Japanese cedar pollen extract was nebulized from the top of a cylindrical container with 2 or 4 ion-generating devices. The extract in a mist was passed through the space filled with or without plasma cluster ions for 90 s, and the ion-treated or nontreated extract was then collected in a Petri dish at the bottom of the container. Results: The ion-exposed extract was significantly diminished in its reactivities to anti-Cry j 1 or anti-Cry j 2 antiserum and to human allergic sera IgE on ELISA. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that ion exposure induced protein degradation in the pollen extract. Similarly, the ion treatment impaired about 80% of the binding to pooled sera IgE from patients allergic to Japanese cedar pollen on ELISA inhibition. Furthermore, intracutaneous and conjunctival reaction tests showed a remarkable diminution in the allergenicity of the ion-irradiated extract. Conclusion: Ion irradiation resulted in a remarkable decrease in in vitro and in vivo allergenicities of atomized Japanese cedar pollen extracts.

Soft-X-Ray-Enhanced Electrostatic Precipitation for Protection against Inhalable Allergens, Ultrafine Particles, and Microbial Infections

“…Additionally, studies investigating the effect of reactive species (excluding O 3 ) from a corona discharge on dust mite and cat allergens have shown that these allergens, which differ structurally for one another, can be destroyed by exposure to the corona discharge products (36,37). Similar results were obtained with Japanese cedar pollen (38).…”

Plasma Cluster Ions Reduce the IgE-Binding Capacity of House Dust Mite Allergens under a Simulated Indoor Environmental Condition

“…For the experimental chamber analysis, we used a cylindrical experimental apparatus (14.5 cm in diameter, 52.5 cm high) as previously described [9]. The cylindrical apparatus was filled with PCIs generated from a PCI-generating device (a second-generation Plasma Cluster™ device, Sharp Corp., Osaka, Japan) for 15 min, followed by 8 mL of atomized 200 ng/mL HDM extract solution.…”

“…The cylindrical apparatus was filled with PCIs generated from a PCI-generating device (a second-generation Plasma Cluster™ device, Sharp Corp., Osaka, Japan) for 15 min, followed by 8 mL of atomized 200 ng/mL HDM extract solution. The PCI-treated HDM solution was then collected in a petri dish at the bottom of the apparatus [9,10]. A 1-m 3 acrylic box equipped with a PCI-generating device (a second-generation Plasma Cluster™ device, Sharp Corp.) and a stirring fan were used for the evaluation of the effects of PCIs under a simulated indoor environmental condition (Fig.…”

“…The airborne dry HDM particles were treated with 3,000 counts/cm 3 of PCIs for an additional 15 min, and the particles were then collected on a membrane filter by pumping the air out of the chamber for 45 min. The collected HDM particles were suspended in 2 mL of phosphate-buffered saline to evaluate their IgE-binding capacity as a similar method reported in our previous studies [9,10]. …”

“…In our previous studies, we employed a novel air-cleaning technology that emits both positively and negatively charged plasma cluster ions (PCIs) generated by plasma discharge, and we observed that the PCIs significantly reduced the IgE-binding capacity of atomized Japanese cedar pollen allergens and fungal allergens in an experimental cylindrical apparatus [9,10]. …”