Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut Allergen

<b>Background:</b> Tree nut allergy affects approximately 1% of the U.S. population and the prevalence is increasing. Walnut allergy is the most commonly reported tree nut allergy in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the IgE cross-reactivity between walnut allergen Jug r...

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Main Authors: Stephen A. Y. Gipson, Jacqueline B. Nesbit, Lauren T. Swientoniewski, Stephen I. Rogers, S. Shahzad Mustafa, Stephen C. Dreskin, Suzanne S. Teuber, Hsiaopo Cheng, Soheila J. Maleki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Allergies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5786/5/1/8
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author Stephen A. Y. Gipson
Jacqueline B. Nesbit
Lauren T. Swientoniewski
Stephen I. Rogers
S. Shahzad Mustafa
Stephen C. Dreskin
Suzanne S. Teuber
Hsiaopo Cheng
Soheila J. Maleki
author_facet Stephen A. Y. Gipson
Jacqueline B. Nesbit
Lauren T. Swientoniewski
Stephen I. Rogers
S. Shahzad Mustafa
Stephen C. Dreskin
Suzanne S. Teuber
Hsiaopo Cheng
Soheila J. Maleki
author_sort Stephen A. Y. Gipson
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background:</b> Tree nut allergy affects approximately 1% of the U.S. population and the prevalence is increasing. Walnut allergy is the most commonly reported tree nut allergy in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the IgE cross-reactivity between walnut allergen Jug r 4 and peanut allergen Ara h 3 in individuals with dual walnut and peanut allergies. <b>Methods:</b> Jug r 4 was purified from whole walnut extract and analyzed via western blot using anti-Ara h 3 antibodies alongside serum IgE from walnut allergic patients. Sera from individuals allergic to both peanuts and walnuts were utilized to examine peptide microarrays comprising synthetic overlapping 15 mer peptides, offset by five amino acids, of Ara h 3 and Jug r 4. These results were compared against computationally predicted IgE epitopes using the Structural Database for Allergic Proteins (SDAP). Additionally, SWISS-MODEL protein modeling software was employed to map IgE epitopes onto Ara h 3 and Jug r 4. <b>Results:</b> Our findings revealed previously unreported IgE epitopes for dual-allergic sera within both allergens, highlighting the locations of empirically determined and SDAP-predicted IgE epitopes. <b>Conclusions:</b> While six epitopes were predicted as cross-reactive, only three were frequently recognized by IgE in dual-allergic individuals, underscoring their potential significance in clinically relevant cross-reactivity.
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spelling doaj-art-53a5c7dd857d4e67a5f3a404e84d18b92025-08-20T02:41:44ZengMDPI AGAllergies2313-57862025-03-0151810.3390/allergies5010008Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut AllergenStephen A. Y. Gipson0Jacqueline B. Nesbit1Lauren T. Swientoniewski2Stephen I. Rogers3S. Shahzad Mustafa4Stephen C. Dreskin5Suzanne S. Teuber6Hsiaopo Cheng7Soheila J. Maleki8Southern Regional Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, USASouthern Regional Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, USASouthern Regional Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, USASouthern Regional Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, USASchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology, Rochester Regional Health, Rochester, NY 14620, USASchool of Medicine, Allergy & Clinical Immunology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USASchool of Medicine, Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95817, USASouthern Regional Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, USASouthern Regional Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, USA<b>Background:</b> Tree nut allergy affects approximately 1% of the U.S. population and the prevalence is increasing. Walnut allergy is the most commonly reported tree nut allergy in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the IgE cross-reactivity between walnut allergen Jug r 4 and peanut allergen Ara h 3 in individuals with dual walnut and peanut allergies. <b>Methods:</b> Jug r 4 was purified from whole walnut extract and analyzed via western blot using anti-Ara h 3 antibodies alongside serum IgE from walnut allergic patients. Sera from individuals allergic to both peanuts and walnuts were utilized to examine peptide microarrays comprising synthetic overlapping 15 mer peptides, offset by five amino acids, of Ara h 3 and Jug r 4. These results were compared against computationally predicted IgE epitopes using the Structural Database for Allergic Proteins (SDAP). Additionally, SWISS-MODEL protein modeling software was employed to map IgE epitopes onto Ara h 3 and Jug r 4. <b>Results:</b> Our findings revealed previously unreported IgE epitopes for dual-allergic sera within both allergens, highlighting the locations of empirically determined and SDAP-predicted IgE epitopes. <b>Conclusions:</b> While six epitopes were predicted as cross-reactive, only three were frequently recognized by IgE in dual-allergic individuals, underscoring their potential significance in clinically relevant cross-reactivity.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5786/5/1/8walnut allergypeanut allergyIgEepitopeJug r 4Ara h 3
spellingShingle Stephen A. Y. Gipson
Jacqueline B. Nesbit
Lauren T. Swientoniewski
Stephen I. Rogers
S. Shahzad Mustafa
Stephen C. Dreskin
Suzanne S. Teuber
Hsiaopo Cheng
Soheila J. Maleki
Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut Allergen
Allergies
walnut allergy
peanut allergy
IgE
epitope
Jug r 4
Ara h 3
title Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut Allergen
title_full Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut Allergen
title_fullStr Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut Allergen
title_full_unstemmed Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut Allergen
title_short Purification and Epitope Mapping of Jug r 4, a Major Walnut Allergen
title_sort purification and epitope mapping of jug r 4 a major walnut allergen
topic walnut allergy
peanut allergy
IgE
epitope
Jug r 4
Ara h 3
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5786/5/1/8
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