Cross‐reactivity between Acacia (wattle) and rye grass pollen allergens

Abstract

IgE, directed against components of Acacia (wattle) pollen, was detected by radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) in the sera of some children and adults who develop allergic symptoms in the presence of flowering Acacia trees in Australia. All these subjects also had high levels of IgE directed against L. perenne (rye grass) pollen. Inhibition by RAST showed that most of the IgE molecules which bound to Acacia pollen components also bound to L. perenne pollen extracts, and to glycoprotein 1, the major allergen of L. perenne pollen. In these assays, the allergens were immobilized on polyvinyl chloride microtiter trays: the sensitivity of this approach is compared to that of commercial RAST kits.