Reassessing the role of hyaluronidase in yellow jacket venom allergy

IgE binding to blotted Vespula species venom. Twenty sera are shown from each group to illustrate the different binding patterns. A, Single-positive sera from patients with yellow jacket venom allergy. B, Double-positive sera from patients with yellow jacket venom allergy. C, Double-positive sera from patients with honeybee venom allergy. HYA, Hyaluronidase; a5, antigen 5.

CCD- and protein-specific inhibition of IgE binding to Vespula species venom in double-positive sera from 12 patients with yellow jacket (A-C) or honeybee venom allergy (D). Fig 2, A, Sera binding to hyaluronidase (HYA) CCDs only. Fig 2, B and C, Sera containing HYA peptide–specific IgE with (Fig 2, B) and without (Fig 2, C) cross-inhibition by Api m 2. Fig 2, D, Patients with honeybee venom allergy binding with HYA CCDs (sera 1-2) or CCDs plus protein (serum 3). −, Noninhibited serum; MUXF, inhibition with MUXF-BSA; Api m 2, inhibition with Api m 2 plus MUXF-BSA; a5, antigen 5.

Inhibition of IgE binding to Vespula species and honeybee venom hyaluronidases in double-positive sera from patients with yellow jacket allergy with IgE against the YJ-HYA peptide. 1 and 2, Reciprocal protein-specific cross-reactivity between YJ-HYA and Api m 2; 3 and 4, sera binding with Api m 2 only through CCDs; 5, patient with primary sensitization to Api m 2. −, Noninhibited serum; MUXF, inhibition with MUXF-BSA; Api m 2, inhibition with Api m 2 plus MUXF-BSA.

Inhibition of IgE binding to Vespula species and honeybee venom hyaluronidases in double-positive sera from 3 patients with honeybee venom allergy. 1, Reactivity with YJ-HYA CCDs only; 2 and 3, IgE binding to HYA peptide epitopes with reciprocal (part 2) or one-sided (part 3) cross-inhibition between YJ-HYA and Api m 2. −, Noninhibited serum; MUXF, inhibition with MUXF-BSA; Api m 2, inhibition with Api m 2 plus MUXF-BSA; YJ, inhibition with yellow jacket venom.

Inhibition of IgE binding to YJ-HYA by MUXF-BSA (MUXF; displaying N-glycans of the bromelain type) and by MMF3F6-BSA (MMFF; displaying insect-typical MMFF glycans) in double-positive sera from 2 patients with putative IgE against the YJ-HYA peptide.

IgE binding of sera from 40 patients with yellow jacket allergy to Vespula species venom separated by means of SDS-PAGE under nonreducing (upper panel) and reducing (lower panel) conditions. HYA, Hyaluronidase; a5, antigen 5.