Share of Cost, NO2 air pollution increases allergenicity in ragweed pollen

Sunday, Jan. 17th 2016 6:00 AM

Together with the Research Unit Protein Science and the Institute for Environmental Medicine of Technische Universität München as well as the research consortium UNIKA-T and the Christine Kühne – Center for Allergy Research and Education, researchers of the Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology (BIOP) studied how nitrogen oxides affect the pollen of the plant. Specifically, they fumigated the plants with various concentrations of NO2, which e.g. is generated during combustion processes of fuel. “Our data showed that the stress on the plant caused by NO2 modulated the protein composition of the pollen,” said first author Dr. Feng Zhao. “Different isoforms of the known allergen Amb a 1 were significantly elevated.” In addition, the scientists observed that the pollen from NO2 treated plants have a significantly increased binding capacity to specific IgE antibodies* of individuals allergic to Ambrosia. This is often the beginning of an allergic reaction in humans.

Posted on Sunday, Jan. 17th 2016 6:00 AM | by Share of Cost | in Share of Cost | No Comments »

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