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Ščevková J, Vašková Z, Sepšiová R, Kováč J. Seasonal variation in the allergenic potency of airborne grass pollen in Bratislava (Slovakia) urban environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:62583-62592. [PMID: 34212332 PMCID: PMC8248954 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15179-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The Phl p 5 allergen of the plant species Phleum pratense is considered one of the most crucial grass pollen allergenic molecules inducing respiratory allergies. In this study, we evaluated seasonal variation in the concentration of both grass pollen and Phl p 5 allergens as well as the ratio allergen/pollen (pollen potency) in the air of Bratislava during two consecutive years, 2019-2020. These 2 years differed in terms of air pollution, as COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 considerably improved air quality in the study area. Air samples were collected using a Hirst-type sampler for pollen detection and the cyclone sampler for aeroallergen detection. In 2020, we observed 80.3% higher seasonal pollen integral, probably associated with the longer pollen season duration, however, 43.6% lower mean daily pollen potency than in 2019. The mean daily pollen value was 37.5% higher in 2020 than in the previous year, while the mean daily allergen value was 14.9% lower in 2020. To evaluate the relationship between the amount of pollen or allergen in the air and selected meteorological factors and air pollution parameters, we used multiple regression analysis. Regarding weather factors, precipitation and relative humidity were significantly associated with pollen and/or allergen concentration, though these associations were negative. Atmospheric pollutants, especially CO, NO2 and O3 were significantly associated with pollen and/or allergen levels. The associations with CO and O3 were positive, while the association with NO2 was negative. Our results indicate that for grasses, an air pollutant that has a significant positive relationship to the ratio of allergen/pollen is nitrogen dioxide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Ščevková
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Botany, Comenius University, Révová 39, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Zuzana Vašková
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Botany, Comenius University, Révová 39, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Regina Sepšiová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Genetics, Comenius University, Ilkovičova 6, 842 48, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Kováč
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, 842 48, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Flowering Phenology and Characteristics of Pollen Aeroparticles of Quercus Species in Korea. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11020232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, airborne allergens for allergic respiratory diseases have been found to increase significantly by a process of converting coniferous forests into broad-leaved forests in Korea. This study was conducted to evaluate factors, including airborne pollen counts, micromorphology, and flowering phenology, that can affect oak pollen-related allergic symptoms. The catkin of Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb.) showed the most rapidly blooming catkin on Julian day 104 in flower development. Among six species, the last flowering was observed on Julian day 119 in Korean oak (Quercus dentata Thunb.). The pollen dispersal was persisted for about 32 days from Julian day 104 to Julian day 136. Airborne pollen was observed about 2 weeks after flowering phase H, the senescence phase. Pollen size varied by species, with the largest from Q. mongolica (polar axis length, PL = 31.72 µm, equatorial axis length, EL = 39.05 µm) and the smallest from Jolcham oak (Quercus serrata Murray) (PL = 26.47 µm, EL = 32.32 µm). Regarding pollen wall structure, endexine of Q. dentata was coarsely laminated or fragmented. The endexine thicknesses of Sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima Carruth.) and Q. serrata were thick and stable, whereas Galcham oak (Quercus aliena Blume), Q. mongolica, and Oriental cork oak (Quercus variabilis Blume) had thinner endexines. The area occupied by pollenkitt of Q. variabilis was significantly larger than that of Q. acutissima. Importantly, Q. variabilis had a distinctly thick 17 kDa protein band, a presumed major allergen. Oak species differ in pollen protein composition, and thus there is a possibility that the allergenic activity of pollen proteins vary depending on oak species. This study highlights the fact that native oak species in Korea differ in flowering pattern of male flowers, pollen morphology, and pollen chemical constituents. These discrepancies in flowering and pollen properties imply variable allergic responses to oak pollen from different species.
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Guo J, Dong X, Li Y, Wang B. NaCl treatment markedly enhanced pollen viability and pollen preservation time of euhalophyte Suaeda salsa via up regulation of pollen development-related genes. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2020; 133:57-71. [PMID: 31654246 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-019-01148-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Vegetable growth of halophytes has significantly increased through moderate salinity. However, little is known about the reproductive traits of euhalophytes. Male reproduction is pivotal for fertilization and seed production and sensitive to abiotic stressors. The pollen viability and pollen longevity of Suaeda salsa treated with 0 and 200 mM of NaCl were evaluated. It was revealed that the pollen size of S. salsa treated with NaCl was significantly bigger than that in controls. Furthermore, the pollen viability of S. salsa plants treated with NaCl was also significantly higher than that of control after 8 h of the pollens were collected (from 10 to 27 h). The pollen viability of NaCl-treated plants in the field could be maintained for 8 h (from 07:00 to 15:00) in sunny days, which was 1 h longer than that of control plants (from 07:00 to 14:00). Meanwhile, the pollen preservation time of NaCl-treated plants was 16 h at room temperature, which was 8 h longer than that of control plants. Genes related to pollen development, such as SsPRK3, SsPRK4, and SsLRX, exhibited high expression in the flowers of NaCl-treated plants. This indicated that NaCl markedly improved the pollen viability and preservation time via the increased expression of pollen development-related genes, and this benefits the population establishment of halophytes such as S. salsa in saline regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianrong Guo
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Xinxiu Dong
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Ying Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Baoshan Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China.
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Hong Q, Zhou S, Zhao H, Peng J, Li Y, Shang Y, Wu M, Zhang W, Lu S, Li S, Yu S, Wang W, Wang Q. Allergenicity of recombinant Humulus japonicus pollen allergen 1 after combined exposure to ozone and nitrogen dioxide. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 234:707-715. [PMID: 29241157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are thought to play primary roles in aggravating air pollution-induced health problems. However, the effects of joint O3/NO2 on the allergenicity of pollen allergens are unclear. Humulus japonicus pollen allergen 1 (Hum j1) is a profilin protein that causes widespread pollinosis in eastern Asia. In order to study the effects of combined O3/NO2 on the allergenicity of Hum j1, tandem six-histidine peptide tag (His6)-fused recombinant Hum j1 (rHum j1) was expressed in a prokaryotic system and purified through His6 affinity chromatography. The purified rHum j1 was used to immunize SD rats. Rat sera with high titers of IgG and IgE antibodies against rHum j1 were used for allergenicity quantification. The rHum j1 was exposed to O3/NO2, and changes in allergenicity of the exposed rHum j1 were assayed using the immunized rat antibodies. Tandem LC-MS/LC (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer/liquid chromatography spectrometer) chromatography and UV and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy were used to study the structural changes in rHum j1. Our data demonstrated that a novel disulfide bond between the sulfhydryl groups of two neighboring cysteine molecules was formed after the rHum j1 exposure to joint O3/NO2, and therefore IgE-binding affinity was increased and the allergenicity was reinforced. Our results provided clues to elucidate the mechanism behind air pollution-induced increase in pollinosis prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Hong
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Shumin Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Jiaxian Peng
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yu Shang
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Minghong Wu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Senlin Lu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Shuijun Li
- Shanghai Xuhui Center Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Shen Yu
- Shanghai Xuhui Center Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Weiqian Wang
- School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Qingyue Wang
- School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan.
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