Biotecnología y Biomateriales

Abstracto

Immunological Analysis of the Alternate Rubber Crop Taraxacum koksaghyz Indicates Multiple Proteins Cross-Reactive with Hevea brasiliensis Latex Allergens

Katrina Cornish, Wenshuang Xie, David Kostyal, David Shintani and Robert G Hamilton

The public health risk of Type I natural rubber latex allergy, caused by residual proteins in Hevea brasiliensis rubber latex (HNRL) products, has led to some medical examination and surgeon’s gloves and other health-related products being made from synthetic polymers. However, they are generally not preferred by healthcare providers due to their physical limitations. Guayule latex (GNRL), from an alternate rubber crop Parthenium argentatum, has been proven to contain none of the protein antigens present in H. brasiliensis natural rubber latex and its products. Guayule latex has also exhibited excellent film properties. Another alternate rubber crop, Taraxacum kok-saghyz, is now under commercial development, and internet reports assume that, like guayule, its latex derived rubber is free of proteins that are cross-reactive with HNRL specific IgE antibodies. Thus, the assumption is that it will not trigger allergic reactions in Type I HNR latex allergic individuals. Using ELISA and immunoblot methods, we have tested the reactivity of HNRL protein specific murine monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, rabbit polyclonal IgG antibodies and human IgE antibodies from clinically HNRL allergic individuals against T. kok-saghyz latex and its purified rubber particles. We demonstrate that T. kok-saghyz latex contains multiple HNRL cross-reactive proteins, which importantly react with HNRL latex specific human IgE antibodies from Type I latex allergic individuals. Exposure of HNRL allergic individuals to T. kok-saghyz latex may thus place them at risk for allergic reactions.