Recombinant proteins and peptides as tools for studying IgE reactivity with low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits in some wheat allergies

Two genes of wheat low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS), B16 and P73, were cloned and expressed in E. coli. They were homologous to proteins encoded respectively at Glu-B3 and Glu-D3 loci. The N-terminal and C-terminal halves of B16 (NB16 and B16C) and the two chimeras combining the halves of the two genes (B16-P73 and P73- B16) were also expressed. All these constructs were compared for their reactivity with IgE from 24 patients suffering from different forms of wheat allergies. The results confirmed that LMW-GSs bound IgE in all adult allergies tested. Strong differences in reactivity between all the constructs were observed. They were disease-dependent. In wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA), the reactivity of the constructs depended partly on common epitopes with omega-5 gliadins but also on differences in molecule conformation. The presence of NB16 in the constructs greatly influenced their IgE reactivity.