k220 rHev b 6.02 Latex

Allergens within Occupational Allergens

Print Print icon Tell a friend Tell a friend icon
  • Latin name: Hevea brasiliensis
  • Common names: Hevein
  • Source material: Recombinant non-glycosylated MBP fusion protein produced in an E. coli strain carrying a cloned cDNA encoding Hevea brasiliensis allergen Hev b 6.02.
Recombinant allergen
Hevea brasiliensis allergen Hev b 6.02.
 
Mw
5 kDa
 
Allergen description
Hev b 6.02 (1-3), hevein, is a small protein, which has been identified as the most common allergen for healthcare workers (HCW) allergic to Latex. About 75% of these workers allergic to Latex had hevein-specific antibodies (4). Hevein is not only a major IgE-binding allergen in Natural rubber latex (NRL) but also in other Latex manufactured products (5-6). Prohevein, Hev b 6.01, is cleaved naturally to yield 2 allergenic fragments, the N-terminal hevein, Heb b 6.02, and the C-terminal portion, Hev b 6.03 (5, 7). All 3 allergens exist in the plant, although the ratio between Hev b 6.01 and Hev b 6.03 is about 30:1 (8). All 3 components act as independent allergens (1).

In a study, serum-specific IgE to hevein was detected by ELISA in 48 of 64 (75%) sera from HCW allergic to Latex, and in 3 of 11 (27%) sera from patients with spina bifida (SB) and hypersensitivity reactions to Latex. Skin-positive tests hevein was found in 17 of 21 (81%) patients with Latex allergy (9).

Hevein (Hev b 6.02) is the main allergen cross-reacting with Avocado in subjects with Latex allergy. Results of immunoblots and immunoblot inhibition with 11 serum samples confirmed that a 30-kDa protein in Avocado was the major IgE-binding component; the IgE-binding reactivity to this protein could be inhibited by hevein in all sera tested. Sixty-seven of 91 (73%) subjects from the HCW group and all 19 subjects in the SB group with positive IgE antibodies to hevein also had elevated IgE values to Avocado (4).

References:

    1. Raulf-Heimsoth M, Rozynek P, Bruning T, Rihs HP. Characterization of B- and T-cell responses and HLA-DR4 binding motifs of the latex allergen Hev b 6.01 (prohevein) and its post-transcriptionally formed proteins Hev b 6.02 and Hev b 6.03. Allergy 2004;59(7):724-33.
    2. Karisola P, Mikkola J, Kalkkinen N, Airenne KJ, Laitinen OH, Repo S, Pentikainen OT, Reunala T, et al. Construction of hevein (Hev b 6.02) with reduced allergenicity for immunotherapy of latex allergy by comutation of six amino acid residues on the conformational IgE epitopes. J Immunol 2004;172(4):2621-8.
    3. Laukkanen ML, Makinen-Kiljunen S, Isoherranen K, Haahtela T, Soderlund H, Takkinen K. Hevein-specific recombinant IgE antibodies from human single-chain antibody phage display libraries. J Immunol Methods 2003;278(1-2):271-81.
    4. Chen Z, Posch A, Cremer R, Raulf-Heimsoth M, Baur X Identification of hevein (Hev b 6.02) in Hevea latex as a major cross-reacting allergen with avocado fruit in patients with latex allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;102(3):476-81.
    5. de Silva HD, Gardner LM, Drew AC, Beezhold DH, Rolland JM, O'Hehir RE. The hevein domain of the major latex-glove allergen Hev b 6.01 contains dominant T cell reactive sites. Clin Exp Allergy 2004;34(4):611-8.
    6. Reyes-Lopez CA, Hernandez-Santoyo A, Pedraza-Escalona M, Mendoza G, Hernandez-Arana A, Rodriguez-Romero A. Insights into a conformational epitope of Hev b 6.02 (hevein). Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004;314(1):123-30.
    7. Sussman GL, Beezhold DH, Kurup VP. Allergens and natural rubber proteins. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2002;110(2 Pt 2):S033-9.
    8. Yeang HY, Arif SA, Yusof F, Sunderasan E. Allergenic proteins of natural rubber latex. Methods 2002;27(1):32-45.
    9. Chen Z, Posch A, Cremer R, Raulf-Heimsoth M, Baur X Identification of hevein (Hev b 6.02) in Hevea latex as a major cross-reacting allergen with avocado fruit in patients with latex allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;102(3):476-81.

2006



Further Reading