Yellow jacket venom allergens, hyaluronidase and phospholipase: sequence similarity and antigenic cross-reactivity with their hornet and wasp homologs and possible implications for clinical allergy

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996 Sep;98(3):588-600. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(96)70093-3.

Abstract

Three known allergens of yellow jacket (Vespula vulgaris) venom are antigen 5, hyaluronidase, and phospholipase. Yellow jacket antigen 5 has been previously cloned and expressed in bacteria; it contains 204 amino acid residues, and it has 69% and 60% sequence identities with the homologous proteins of white-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) and wasp (Polistes annularis), respectively. These studies are now extended to yellow jacket hyaluronidase and phospholipase; they contain 331 and 300 amino acid residues, respectively, and they show 92% and 67% sequence identity with their homologs of white-faced hornet. Tests with the natural and the recombinant vespid allergens in mice indicate partial antigenic cross-reactivity of their homologous proteins at both B- and T-cell levels. There is greater cross-reactivity among hornet and yellow jacket allergens than that among hornet or yellow jacket and wasp allergens. The order of cross-reaction of the three vespid allergens is hyaluronidase > antigen 5 > phospholipase. The continuous (linear) B-cell epitopes of vespid allergens show greater cross-reactivity than their discontinuous epitopes do. The discontinuous B-cell epitopes are immunodominant for all vespid allergens. The low degree of cross-reactivity of the immunodominant discontinuous B-cell epitopes of vespid allergens should be taken into consideration in selection of venoms for immunotherapy of patients with sensitivity to multiple vespids.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / genetics
  • Allergens / immunology
  • Allergens / isolation & purification*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Plant
  • Base Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Cross Reactions
  • Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / genetics
  • Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / immunology*
  • Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / isolation & purification*
  • Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Insect Proteins
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phospholipases A / genetics
  • Phospholipases A / immunology*
  • Phospholipases A / isolation & purification*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Spleen
  • Wasp Venoms / enzymology*
  • Wasp Venoms / genetics
  • Wasp Venoms / immunology
  • Wasp Venoms / isolation & purification*
  • Wasps / enzymology*
  • Wasps / immunology

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Antigens, Plant
  • Insect Proteins
  • Wasp Venoms
  • Phospholipases A
  • allergen Ves v 2
  • Hyaluronoglucosaminidase
  • allergen Ves v 1

Associated data

  • GENBANK/L43561
  • GENBANK/L43562