Seasonal Pollinosis Due to Kans Grass Pollen: Prevalence and Immune-Biochemical Approach

Abstract

Background: It has been recognized from the early days of allergology that aerobiological investigations have an important role to play in the development of respiratory allergic diseases. An increasing number of allergic complaints occurred among the atopic population during the blooming season of Kans grass, Saccharum spontaneum (SS), an obnoxious weed growing in and around suburban West Bengal. The present study aimed to identify SS pollen as a potential aero allergen through aerobiological, clinical, statistical, and biochemical analyses. Methods: An aerobiological survey was conducted for 2 years followed by a clinical diagnosis of 134 local atopic patients suffering from a respiratory allergy by a standard questionnaire survey and the skin prick test (SPT) using SS antigens. The antigenic protein profile was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and the allergizing potential of this pollen was investigated by an in vitro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to recognize the presence of the sero-reactive proteins which were the suspected cause of the respiratory allergy. A Box-plot and regression analysis were performed to establish the significance of clinical data. Results: SS pollen was found to evoke about 70.14% sensitivity among the atopic population causing early spring hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. A regression analysis for the pollen antigen for estimating the total IgE value of a patient’s sera from their specific IgE value was a novel approach by our study. The antigenic extract of pollen resolved into more than 15 distinct protein bands ranging from 14.4 to 116 kDa, some of which were found to be glycosylated. The results showed that SS pollen has a significant presence in the atmosphere, which may trigger an allergic response in immunocompromised patients. Conclusions: This is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to identify allergens from Kans pollen causing seasonal pollinosis among the Indian atopic population using an immuno-clinical approach.