RESUMEN
Objective To purify and identif y Platanus acerifoli wild pollen. Methods We carried out intracutaneous test with Platanus pollen extract in 30 patients with allergic as thma who visited our hospital from March to May 2003. Seven subjects who had bee n diagnosed as having Platanus pollen-induced asthma were enrolled. Platanus po llen proteins were separated by gel filtration with Sephadex-G-100. To charact erize allergenic components, Platanus pollen extract was analyzed by means of so dium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by immunoblotti ng. Results To purity the pollen we separated Platanus poll en extract in a first purification step by using gel filtration with Sephadex G -100. Two elution peaks were observed. Twelve percent SDS-PAGE analysis showed more than 10 protein bands whose molecular mass (Mr) ranged from 16 ku to 71 ku. Six bands abundant with protein at 71, 50, 35, 39, 22 and 16 ku were observed. On SDS-PAGE, the proteins of the first peak whose Mr we re 71, 50, 35, 39, and 22 ku and that of the second peak was 16 ku. SDS-PAGE and IgG-immunoblotting analysis with seven sera showed 4 IgG-binding component s whose Mr was 50, 39, 22 and 16 ku. The protein bands whose Mr was 50 ku and 22 ku had the highest binding capacity. Conclusion The strongest activity exists in the first peak which can be the major sensiti zing components and there is mild allergic activity in the second peak which is the minor sensitizing components.