RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Olive pollen is an important cause of allergy in Mediterranean countries. To date, 10 allergens (Ole e 1 to Ole e 10) have been isolated and characterized. Animal models of olive pollen allergy are suitable tools for testing the efficacy and safety of new forms of immunotherapy. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the immune response in mice sensitized with olive pollen extract and to compare it with that of allergic patients. METHODS: BALB/c mice were sensitized by 4 intraperitoneal injections of olive pollen extract in aluminum hydroxide. The allergic state was proved by measuring serum specific IgG1 and total IgE antibody levels. The IgG1 responses to olive pollen allergens were assayed by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Competition experiments between human IgE and mouse IgG1 binding to olive pollen allergens were performed. RESULTS: Sensitization with olive pollen extract induced high levels of specific IgG1 and total IgE in all tested animals. Immunoblotting experiments showed that the mouse IgG1 binding pattern to pollen extract was complex and heterogeneous, as occurs with human IgE. High IgG1 antibody levels to the major olive pollen allergens described for humans were detected in serum samples from sensitized mice, whereas minor olive pollen allergens induced no significant IgG1 response. Coincubation of mouse serum samples with a cocktail of Ole e 1, Ole e 9, and Ole e 10 resulted in a significant decrease (60%) in IgG1 binding to olive pollen extract. Specific mouse IgG1 strongly inhibited human IgE binding to olive pollen allergens. CONCLUSIONS: This mouse model of olive pollen sensitization mimics immunologic features of human pollinosis and could be a useful tool for designing novel forms of immunotherapy for olive pollen allergy based on allergen cocktails.
