Pollen Antigens, Allergens and Enzymes

Pollen-Pistil Interactions

“…The available evidence is that these proteins are secreted from the pollen protoplast, and laid down in the intine when it is synthesized (see review by HOWLETT et al 1979). Intine proteins have been detected by their antigenic activity, and fluorescent antibody methods have been used to investigate their routes of emission from moistened mature pollen.…”

Outdoor Allergens

“…Speculations on the function of these proteins include cell recognition factors, enzymes involved in pollen germination, or reserve storage proteins for pollen-tube growth (10). However, only sparse evidence exists that suggests these proteins can be involved in recognition systems for incompatibility responses within and between plants (11), or that they have enzymatic activity (12)(13)(14). Therefore, the functional role of pollen allergens in the plant has still not been clearly established.…”

IgE-Binding Proteins from Pine (<i>Pinus radiata</i> D. Don) Pollen: Evidence for Cross-Reactivity with Ryegrass <i>(Lolium perenne)</i>

“…The complexity of pine pollen leachates is comparable with that of other poll ens including those known to be strongly allergenic, such as the grasses. Thus the claim that the gymno sperms exhibit reduced antigenic complexity [3] can be questioned. It is perhaps pertinent to note that there is no change in the spectrum of protein species eluting from pine during the time course experiment.…”

“…This is despite being wind pollinated and producing enormous quantities of pollen. Suggested reasons for the low allergenicity of pine pollen in clude the large size and hydrophobicity of the grain, the latter making the release of proteins into aqueous solutions unlikely [3,4], Several reports of allergy to pine pollen have, however, been published [5][6][7][8][9]. In a study of pine pollen reactivity in an atopic population in the San Francisco Bay area of the USA [5], a small propor tion (3.2%) of those pollen-sensitive individuals who exhibited allergy symptoms during the pine pollen season demonstrated a positive skin test reaction to P. radiata extracts.…”