Structure-function Relationships Of Rye Grass Pollen Allergens And Preparation Of Hypoallergenic Mutants For Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$223,928.00
Summary
Grass pollen is an important cause of allergy (eg. hayfever, allergic asthma) world-wide affecting up to 30% of the population. In Australia, rye grass pollen is a clinically significant health problem costing $83-160 million per annum. At present, the main treatment of seasonal allergy is by pharmacotherapy with the use of crude extracts in specific immunotherapy which often causes large and annoying local skin reactions and may even cause anaphylaxis. Moreover, the use of crude extracts in dia ....Grass pollen is an important cause of allergy (eg. hayfever, allergic asthma) world-wide affecting up to 30% of the population. In Australia, rye grass pollen is a clinically significant health problem costing $83-160 million per annum. At present, the main treatment of seasonal allergy is by pharmacotherapy with the use of crude extracts in specific immunotherapy which often causes large and annoying local skin reactions and may even cause anaphylaxis. Moreover, the use of crude extracts in diagnosis of allergy among some atopic individuals may be inaccurate or ineffective. In the last eight years of my research, I have contributed significantly to the identification, characterisation and molecular cloning of grass pollen allergens. In this proposal, I aim to evaluate recombinant rye grass pollen allergens as standardised and more effective diagnostic reagents and, through the identification and better understanding of the allergenic segments of these proteins, to prepare recombinant mutants of the same proteins which are no londer allergenic. Avaliability of such non-allergenic protein reagents will provide safer immunotherapy in the future. Moreover, since the biolgical role, function and structure of such allergens in the grass pollen still remain largely unknown, I will aim to investigate this with the clinically significant allergens of rye grass pollen. Determination of biological function and structure of such allergens will allow their importance for the pollen-plant to be determined and, since function may be relevant to sensitisation of suceptible individuals to these allergens, these findings will stimulate the development of novel concepts in allergen prevention and therapy.Read moreRead less
Couch Grass Allergy: Cellular And Molecular Studies Directed At Improved Specific Immunotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$406,980.00
Summary
Couch grass pollen is increasingly important in Australia and other temperate and subtropical regions as a seasonal allergen causing asthma and hay fever. In our allergy clinic 85% of patients with seasonal asthma and-or hay fever are allergic to both couch grass pollen and rye grass pollen. Standard allergy treatment shots usually cover the rye grass pollen allergens but there is no cross-reactivity with couch grass pollen and therefore symptoms due to couch grass pollen are not controlled. The ....Couch grass pollen is increasingly important in Australia and other temperate and subtropical regions as a seasonal allergen causing asthma and hay fever. In our allergy clinic 85% of patients with seasonal asthma and-or hay fever are allergic to both couch grass pollen and rye grass pollen. Standard allergy treatment shots usually cover the rye grass pollen allergens but there is no cross-reactivity with couch grass pollen and therefore symptoms due to couch grass pollen are not controlled. These shots are seldom used in asthmatic patients because of the risk of severe asthma or generalised allergic reactions. We plan to examine human blood cell responses to couch grass pollen allergens before and after allergy shots with a preparation that includes couch grass pollen and rye grass pollen. A comparable control group of patients receiving only drug therapy will also be investigated. This study will identify dominant sites of couch grass pollen allergen immunoreactivity and reveal mechanisms of desensitisation. Based on this information, we will develop novel couch grass pollen proteins that retain the positive features needed for a successful desensitising vaccine but without the ability to bind to allergy antibodies and possibly cause severe adverse events such as asthma attacks. These preparations could be used to provide safer and more effective allergy treatments that can be used in hay fever sufferers and asthmatics.Read moreRead less