The European project HIALINE: Comparison between Poaceae Airborne Pollen Counts and Phl p5 Aeroallergen Quantification in SW Europe

The European project HIALINE: Comparison between Poaceae Airborne Pollen Counts and Phl p5 Aeroallergen Quantification in SW Europe C. Antunes1*, R. Ferro1, R. Ribeiro1, Torres M.C.3, M.J. Velasco3H. García-Mozo3, Galán, C3 , R.Brandao2, M.Thibaudon4 and the HIALINE team5 1Department of Chemistry, University of Évora, Portugal 2Department of Biology, University of Évora, Portugal 3Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba 4Réseau National de l Surveillance Aerobiologique, Saint-Genis-l’Argentière, France 5J.Buters, Germanny, M. Thibaudon, France, M. Smith, Great Britain, C. Galan, Spain, R. Brandao and C.M. Antunes, Portugal, R. Albertini, Italy, L. Grewling, Poland, A. Rantio-Lehtimäki, Finland, S. Jäger and U. Berger, Austria, I. Sauliene, Lithuania, L. Cecchi, Italy * Presenting Author: Antunes, C. Department of Chemistry, University of Évora, Portugal. Phone +351 266745319 ; email: [email protected] Introduction: Nowadays, pollinosis is affecting in a large percentage of population in the developed countries. The existence of allergenic activity in the atmosphere is not only associated to pollen grains and fungal spores, but also to submicronic and paucimicronic biological particles. The origin of these allergens can be due to the rupture of pollen transported in the atmosphere or to the presence of allergens from other parts of the plant making amorphous material with allergenic load. Poaceae pollen is recognized as one of the main causes of allergic disease in all Europe. In this study we have tried to compare Poaceae pollen counts in the air and Phl p 5, one of the major allergens of this family, through the use of a high-volume cascade impactor (Chemvol). This study was done in the frame of the European project HIALINE and it compares the results obtained in 2009 by 3 different partners participating in this project: in Córdoba (Spain), Évora (Portugal) and Lyon (France). Methodology: Pollen grains have been taken out using a 7-day volumetric Hirst type spore trap. Chemvol high-volume cascade impactor equipped with stages PM>10µm, 10 µm>PM>2.5µm were used for detecting aeroallergens. In each stage polyurethane filters were applied. Phl p5 allergen was determined using allergen specific ELISA´s. Antibodies for analysis are delivered by Allergopharma Joachim Ganzer KG, the industrial partner in this project. Both samplers were placed side-by-side. Results: Most of the allergen was collected in the PM>10µm fraction. Similar profiles between airborne pollen and the total allergenic load was observed during the pollen season. A good correlation was obtained and a value of 2.5 pg/pollen grain of Poaceae was estimated. Discussion: These results suggest that the allergenic load in outdoor air might be mainly due to pollen bursts. It supports the hypothesis that monitoring the allergens itself in ambient air might be an improvement in allergen exposure assessment. This work was supported in part by the European Agency for Health and Consumers EAHC, Luxembourg, under the grant agreement 2008110

Assessment of the risks associated with the invasive weed Ambrosia artemisiifolia in urban environments in Romania

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (ragweed) is an invasive weed with rapid spread during the last decades in many European countries, representing an important problem for environment and for public health, due to its highly allergenic pollen. Data from the European Aeroallergen Network (EAN) confirm the continuous increase of infested areas and of the amospheric ragweed pollen load. Ambrosia is responsible for significant health and economic impact in the most infested areas from Central Europe, mainly Hungary and neighbouring countries, including Romania. Despite generally occurring in dry and abandoned fields, along railways and roadsides, Ambrosia is now recognized as part of urban vegetation in some big cities, contributing to increase risk of air pollution and of respiratory diseases. The aim of our paper is to review the data regarding spread and problematic of Ambrosia in some big cities of Romania, mainly the capital and the actual public activities undertaken to reduce its consequences. Our data showed that Ambrosia is a real and increasing danger for human health in Romania, mainly due to its rapid spread in urban environment and increasing number of affected persons. There is an urgent need for more coordinated efforts and sustainable management of this problem, to reduce impact of Ambrosia in urban environment, to establish a national aerobiology network and to continue collaboration with European institutions and specialists in this field

Grass Phl p5 aeroallergen quantification in outdoor air samples: correlation with pollen counts

Currently allergen exposure is estimated from pollen counts in air samples. However, there is not yet enough evidence to establish this technique as a reliable indicator of allergen exposure. Presently, there are a few reliable and sensitive ELISA methods that allow allergen quantification in environmental air samples but none is known to quantify Poaceae allergens. The aim of this work was to develop a novel approach to quantify Phl p5, one of the main allergen from Phleum pratense

Quantification of Phl p5 aeroallergen from outdoor air samples using an improved ELISA method

airborn pollen quantification in outdoor air sample

The Long Distance Transport of Airborne Ambrosia Pollen to the UK and the Netherlands from Central and South Europe

Background: The invasive alien species Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common or short ragweed) is increasing its range in Europe. In the UK and the Netherlands airborne concentrations of Ambrosia pollen are usually low. However, more than 30 Ambrosia pollen grains per cubic metre of air (above the level capable to trigger allergic symptoms) were recorded in Leicester (UK) and Leiden (NL) on 4 and 5 September 2014. Objective: The aims of this study were to determine whether the highly allergenic Ambrosia pollen recorded during the episode could be the result of long distance transport, to identify the potential sources of these pollen grains and describe the conditions that facilitated this possible long distance transport. Methods: Airborne Ambrosia pollen data were collected at 10 sites in Europe. Back trajectory and atmospheric dispersion calculations were performed using HYSPLIT_4. Results: Back trajectories calculated at Leicester and Leiden show that higher altitude air masses (1500m) originated from source areas on the Pannonian Plain and Ukraine. During the episode, air masses veered to the west and passed over the Rhône Valley. Dispersion calculations showed that the atmospheric conditions were suitable for Ambrosia pollen released from the Pannonian Plain and the Rhône Valley to reach the higher levels and enter the air stream moving to Northwest Europe where they were deposited at ground level and recorded by monitoring sites. Conclusions: The study indicates that the Ambrosia pollen grains recorded during the episode in Leicester and Leiden were probably not produced by local sources, but transported long distances from potential source regions in East Europe, i.e. the Pannonian Plain and Ukraine, as well as the Rhône Valley in France

Trans-disciplinary research in synthesis of grass pollen aerobiology and its importance for respiratory health in Australasia

© 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V. Grass pollen is a major trigger for allergic rhinitis and asthma, yet little is known about the timing and levels of human exposure to airborne grass pollen across Australasian urban environments. The relationships between environmental aeroallergen exposure and allergic respiratory disease bridge the fields of ecology, aerobiology, geospatial science and public health. The Australian Aerobiology Working Group comprised of experts in botany, palynology, biogeography, climate change science, plant genetics, biostatistics, ecology, pollen allergy, public and environmental health, and medicine, was established to systematically source, collate and analyse atmospheric pollen concentration data from 11 Australian and six New Zealand sites. Following two week-long workshops, post-workshop evaluations were conducted to reflect upon the utility of this analysis and synthesis approach to address complex multidisciplinary questions. This Working Group described i) a biogeographically dependent variation in airborne pollen diversity, ii) a latitudinal gradient in the timing, duration and number of peaks of the grass pollen season, and iii) the emergence of new methodologies based on trans-disciplinary synthesis of aerobiology and remote sensing data. Challenges included resolving methodological variations between pollen monitoring sites and temporal variations in pollen datasets. Other challenges included "marrying" ecosystem and health sciences and reconciling divergent expert opinion. The Australian Aerobiology Working Group facilitated knowledge transfer between diverse scientific disciplines, mentored students and early career scientists, and provided an uninterrupted collaborative opportunity to focus on a unifying problem globally. The Working Group provided a platform to optimise the value of large existing ecological datasets that have importance for human respiratory health and ecosystems research. Compilation of current knowledge of Australasian pollen aerobiology is a critical first step towards the management of exposure to pollen in patients with allergic disease and provides a basis from which the future impacts of climate change on pollen distribution can be assessed and monitored

Release of Bet v 1 from birch pollen from 5 European countries. Results from the HIALINE study

Exposure to allergens is pivotal in determining sensitization and allergic symptoms in individuals. Pollen grain counts in ambient air have traditionally been assessed to estimate airborne allergen exposure. However, the exact allergen content of ambient air is unknown. We therefore monitored atmospheric concentrations of birch pollen grains and the matched major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 simultaneously across Europe within the EU-funded project HIALINE (Health Impacts of Airborne Allergen Information Network). Pollen count was assessed with Hirst type pollen traps at 10 l min 1 at sites in France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Finland. Allergen concentrations in ambient air were sampled at 800 l min 1 with a Chemvol high-volume cascade impactor equipped with stages PM > 10 mm, 10 mm > PM > 2.5 mm, and in Germany also 2.5 mm > PM > 0.12 mm. The major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 was determined with an allergen specific ELISA. Bet v 1 isoform patterns were analyzed by 2D-SDS-PAGE blots and mass spectrometric identification. Basophil activation was tested in an Fc 3R1-humanized rat basophil cell line passively sensitized with serum of a birch pollen symptomatic patient. Compared to 10 previous years, 2009 was a representative birch pollen season for all stations. About 90% of the allergen was found in the PM > 10 mm fraction at all stations. Bet v 1 isoforms pattern did not vary substantially neither during ripening of pollen nor between different geographical locations. The average European allergen release from birch pollen was 3.2 pg Bet v 1/pollen and did not vary much between the European countries. However, in all countries a >10-fold difference in daily allergen release per pollen was measured which could be explained by long-range transport of pollen with a deviating allergen release. Basophil activation by ambient air extracts correlated better with airborne allergen than with pollen concentration. Although Bet v 1 is a mixture of different isoforms, its fingerprint is constant across Europe. Bet v 1 was also exclusively linked to pollen. Pollen from different days varied >10-fold in allergen release. Thus exposure to allergen is inaccurately monitored by only monitoring birch pollen grains. Indeed, a humanized basophil activation test correlated much better with allergen concentrations in ambient air than with pollen count. Monitoring the allergens themselves together with pollen in ambient air might be an improvement in allergen exposure assessmen

Biological weed control to relieve millions from ambrosia allergies in Europe

Invasive alien species (IAS) can substantially affect ecosystem services and human well-being. However, quantitative assessments of their impact on human health are rare, and the benefits of implementing sustainable IAS management likely to be underestimated. Here we report the effects of the allergenic plant Ambrosia artemisiifolia on public health in Europe and the potential impact of the accidentally introduced leaf beetle Ophraella communa on the number of patients and healthcare costs. We find that, prior to the establishment of O. communa, some 13.5 million persons suffered from Ambrosia-induced allergies in Europe, causing costs of Euro 7.4 billion annually. Our projections reveal that biological control of A. artemisiifolia will reduce the number of patients by approximately 2.3 million and the health costs by Euro 1.1 billion per year. Our conservative calculations indicate that the currently discussed economic costs of IAS underestimate the real costs and thus also the benefits from biological control

THE HIALINE PROJECT: ALLERGEN RELEASE FROM POLLEN ACROSS 10 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Exposure to allergens is one of severa1 factors determining sensitization and allergic symptoms in individuals. Exposure to aeroallergens from pollen is assessed by counting allergenic pollen in ambient air. However, proof is lacking that pollen count is representative for allergen exposure. We therefore monitored simultaneously birch, grass and olive pollen counts and their corresponding major pollen allergens Bet v 1, Phl p 5 and Ole e 1 across Europe. Already at one location in Europe in Munich, Germany, it has been found that the same amount of pollen from different years, different trees and even different days released up to lO-fold different amounts of Bet v 1. Thus exposure to allergen is poorly monitored by only monitoring pollen countl-2. Monitoring the allergen itself in ambient air might be an improvement in allergen exposure assessment. The objective of the HIALINE-project is to evaluate if these effects found in Munich, Germany are also measurable over a bigger geographic area like Europe, and at the same time implement an outdoor allergen early warning network, in addition to the pollen forecasts. Climatic factors that influence allergen exposure will be extracted and will be used to calculate the effect of climate change on local airborne allergen exposure. The major allergens from the top 3 airborne allergens in Europe (grasses, birch and olive) are sampled with a cascade impactor, extracted and analyzed by allergen specific ELISA 's. Pollen counts are measured by standard pollen traps and correlated with the weather data. Allergen forecast will be calculated by incorporating the SILAM chemical transport model and compared with the observations of HIALINE aiming at a comprehensive parameterization of the allergen release and transport. Expected outcomes are the implementation of a network of European outdoor allergen measurements to better predict allergic symptoms. Also the climatic factors that govern allergen exposure in outdoor air will be established. These can be used to calculate the effect of climate change on the health effects of airborne allergens The research leading to these results has received funding from the Executive Agency for Health and Consumers under grant agreement No 2008 11 07