Download MendeleyDominating IgE-binding epitope of Bet v 1, the major allergen of birch pollen, characterized by X-ray crystallography and site-directed mutagenesis.
Spangfort, M.D., Mirza, O., Ipsen, H., Van Neerven, R.J., Gajhede, M., Larsen, J.N.(2003) J Immunol 171: 3084-3090
- PubMed: 12960334
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.171.6.3084
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
1LLT - PubMed Abstract:
Specific allergy vaccination is an efficient treatment for allergic disease; however, the development of safer vaccines would enable a more general use of the treatment. Determination of molecular structures of allergens and allergen-Ab complexes facilitates epitope mapping and enables a rational approach to the engineering of allergen molecules with reduced IgE binding. In this study, we describe the identification and modification of a human IgE-binding epitope based on the crystal structure of Bet v 1 in complex with the BV16 Fab' fragment. The epitope occupies approximately 10% of the molecular surface area of Bet v 1 and is clearly conformational. A synthetic peptide representing a sequential motif in the epitope (11 of 16 residues) did not inhibit the binding of mAb BV16 to Bet v 1, illustrating limitations in the use of peptides for B cell epitope characterization. The single amino acid substitution, Glu(45)-Ser, was introduced in the epitope and completely abolished the binding of mAb BV16 to the Bet v 1 mutant within a concentration range 1000-fold higher than wild type. The mutant also showed up to 50% reduction in the binding of human polyclonal IgE, demonstrating that glutamic acid 45 is a critical amino acid also in a major human IgE-binding epitope. By solving the three-dimensional crystal structure of the Bet v 1 Glu(45)-Ser mutant, it was shown that the change in immunochemical activity is directly related to the Glu(45)-Ser substitution and not to long-range structural alterations or collapse of the Bet v 1 mutant tertiary structure.
Organizational Affiliation:
ALK-Abelló, Research Department, Hørsholm, Denmark. msp@dk.alk.abello.com
