Ragweed Pollen Allergen

In this research, we used cloning to take one step closer to understanding allergens in their full extent. The results provided us with insight into the gene's activity, allowing for us to create immunotherapeutic treatments to help combat the allergen.

Ragweed pollen was extracted from the plant found in China. We submerged it in liquid nitrogen, allowing us to powder-grind the solution. From there, we removed the RNA from the powdered solution and performed reverse transcription. The 5’ end of the gene’s strand was acquired by RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), and the 3’ end was obtained by RACE (rapid amplification of the cDNA end). The cDNA pool was now available for use as PCR templates with fragments A and B. PCR was used to amplify the gene.

The full-length DNA sequence D106, which was the main gene focus of our study, showed a large number of homologous proteins related to pollen, food, and contact allergens. All the proteins were part of the profilin family. We confirmed this by performing additional tests on patients with food allergies and deduced that ragweed pollen was not only a pollen allergen but also a plant-derived allergen. Because of this, the recombinant protein from the D106 sequence in short ragweed pollen is useful for immunotherapy and diagnosis of not only pollen allergens but also food allergens.

Tao AL, He SH. Bridging PCR and partially overlapping primers for novel allergen gene cloning and expression insert decoration. World J Gastroenterol. 2004 Jul 15;10(14):2103-8. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i14.2103. PMID: 15237444; PMCID: PMC4572343.