Abstract
Birch (Betula pendula) pollen causes inhalant allergy in about 20% of human population in Europe, most of which is sensitive to the main birch allergen, Bet v1. The aim of the study was to find out (i) whether and how the analysed birch individuals differ in regard to composition of individual subunits of pollen proteins and to protein content in these subunits; (ii) whether the level of particulate matter relates to concentration of Bet v1 allergen. Study was performed in Southern Poland, in 2017–2019. Pollen material was collected at 20 sites, of highly or less polluted areas. Protein composition was analysed by SDS-PAGE, while the concentration of Bet v1 was evaluated by ELISA. The obtained results were estimated at the background of the particulate matter (PM10) level and the birch pollen seasons in Kraków. The electrophoregrams of pollen samples collected at different sites showed huge differences in staining intensities of individual protein subunits, also among important birch allergens: Bet v1, Bet v2, Bet v6 and Bet v7. The level of Bet v1 was significantly higher in the pollen samples collected at the more polluted sites. While the birch pollen allergenic potential is determined, the both pollen exposure and the content of the main allergenic components should be considered, as factors causing immunological response and clinical symptoms manifestation in sensitive individuals.
Highlights
The problem of the atmospheric pollution concerns up to 96% of the European Union urban population, according to the latest report of European Environment Agency (Air Quality in Europe 2020; https://www.eea.europa.eu)
Seasonal dynamics of the birch pollen occurrence in 2017– 2019 in Kraków showed the clear differences in time and intensity of the pollen seasons
It is stated that the main cause of this problem is the simultaneous effect of pollen exposure and air pollution on allergenic symptoms, including the direct impact of allergenic particles within the pollen seasons and changes in the allergenic protein content resulted from a long-term abiotic stress (Bédard et al 2019)
Summary
The problem of the atmospheric pollution concerns up to 96% of the European Union urban population, according to the latest report of European Environment Agency (Air Quality in Europe 2020; https://www.eea.europa.eu). The pollutant particles can be regarded as pollen allergyfacilitating agents or as a cause of allergy symptoms including pollen allergy (pollen allergy-initiating) (Senechal et al 2015) They are treated as ‘adjuvants,’ enhancing the immunoreactivity of plant proteins and affecting indirectly the intensity of symptoms in pollen allergy-prone patients related to the overproduction of sIgE antibodies. This phenomenon, recognised and described for almost 20 years (Ring et al 2001; Bousquet et al 2001; Baldacci et al 2015), was confirmed by a number of studies conducted during the pollen seasons, e.g., Feo Brito et al (2007) and Guilbert et al (2018). While particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less can penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs, the even more health-damaging particles of 2.5 microns or less can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the blood system
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