Adenosine in ambrosia pollen exacerbates allergy

The common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) produces pollen which can trigger strong reactions such as asthma. A research team headed by Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann, who is on the Board of Directors of CK-CARE (Christine Kühne – Center for Allergy Research and Education), has shown that what was previously known as the principal allergen only has such a strong allergenic effect when combined with the substance adenosine, which is also present in the pollen.

The weed Ambrosia artemisiifolia is an invasive plant from North America, which has two challenging characteristics for humans: it is spreading rapidly in Europe – it is also colonising regions in Switzerland – and its pollen has an allergy-promoting effect even in minute quantities. If ambrosia pollen gets into the airways, it induces severe inflammation in the lung tissue. This can produce breathing problems or even asthma. The main trigger in ambrosia pollen was previously thought to be a protein called “Amb a 1”. A lot of people who have come into contact with ambrosia pollen develop antibodies to this substance. This is basically a protective mechanism of the body against unwanted substances or pathogens, but it is initiated in error when a person has an allergy.
However, the protein Amb a 1 is apparently not solely responsible for the inflammatory effect of the ambrosia pollen, as shown by a team led by Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann, Director of the Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Technical University of Munich (UNIKA-T, TUM) and member of the Board of Directors of CK-CARE (Christine Kühne – Center for Allergy Research and Education): “This only becomes highly allergenic when in combination with adenosine, which is also contained in ambrosia pollen,” states Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffman.

The search for the unknown substance
According to the media release from TUM, the researchers studied how different constituents of the pollen acted on lung tissue. The lung tissue was then tested for indicators of inflammation – such as the presence of specific immune cells. The whole pollen extract or the protein Amb a 1 was tested, while at the same time the pollen extract without proteins was also tested. The results were surprising and revealing, as Prof. Traidl-Hoffmann outlines: “Only the whole extract triggered an allergic effect, making it clear that another substance must be causing the allergenic action of the pollen as well as the protein Amb a 1.”
Adenosine was considered as an interesting candidate for substance X. The researchers had already detected it in high concentrations in birch pollen and it is also present in large quantities in ambrosia pollen. They hit the bull’s eye with this theory: once adenosine had been removed from the whole pollen extract, only very slight signs of inflammation occurred. Similarly, if adenosine was administered alone, no pronounced allergic reaction was observed in the lungs. This means: “Only the combination of substances causes an allergic reaction,” concludes Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffman.

Will we soon have a possible remedy for allergic asthma?
An interesting aspect is that adenosine is found naturally in the human body. It is involved in lots of processes and nearly all cells carry recognition molecules for adenosine on their surface. So how does adenosine actually intensify an allergic reaction? “Pollen adenosine binds to the endogenous receptors and, in combination with other substances, can trigger allergies”, explains Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffman. The research group calls this phenomenon “cross-kingdom signalling”, in which plant messengers bind to human receptors.
The results of the study are also promising with regard to treatment. So-called adenosine receptor antagonists are drugs that can help to treat asthma by blocking the adenosine receptors in the body. Therefore this aspect is also important in terms of research into pollen allergy. “The results show that adenosine plays a key role, especially in the exacerbation of an allergic reaction. This means the inflammatory reaction could be inhibited by blocking the adenosine receptors, where possible”, states the doctor and researcher.

Publication:
M. Wimmer, F. Alessandrini, S. Gilles, U. Frank, S. Oeder, M. Hauser, J. Ring, F. Ferreira, D. Ernst, J. B. Winkler, P. Schmitt-Kopplin, C. Ohnmacht, H. Behrendt, C. Schmidt-Weber, C. Traidl-Hoffmann, J. Gutermuth, Pollen-derived adenosine is a necessary cofactor for ragweed allergy, Allergy, May 2015.
DOI: 10.1111/all.12642

20th CK-CARE Team Meeting 2025

The 20th CK-CARE Team Meeting took place on 24 and 25 February 2025 under the motto ‘Embracing the concept of data analysis to further personalised patient care’. The aim of the meeting was to develop innovative ideas and prepare a draft publication for the CK-CARE Scientific Board based on the data from the CK-CARE registry and biobank. The event began with an informative presentation of the data from the CK-CARE repository and the biobank, which provided the framework for intensive group work. The participants were divided into four teams: Team 1, 2 and 3 chose the topic according to their personal interest based on the available data from the CKC repository and the biobank, while team 4 focused on science communication for the NIA app. The day was rounded off with a guided tour of the historic Fuggerei in Augsburg followed by a tapas dinner at the Tafeldecker restaurant, which provided space for lively discussions. On Tuesday, each group presented their idea in a 3-minute ‘Scientific Paper Pitch’ to the critical members of the ‘CK-CARE Scientific Board-lion’s den’.

(Copyright Image: Samuel Tschaffon, UK Augsburg)

Global Allergy Forum 2022

The 4th Davos Declaration: A Milestone for Atopic Dermatitis Patient Care

During the last Global Allergy Forum (GAF) key opinion leaders from science, medicine and industry met in Davos to discuss the current state of the art of patient care in atopic dermatitis (AD) and proposed new strategies for its improvement. The thinktank addressed the high prevalence of AD and strategized methods to advance research, diagnostics, management and prevention. The findings are now published as «Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Atopic Dermatitis: Challenges and Future Opportunities: the 4th Davos Declaration».

Annual Report CK-CARE 2023

CK-CARE’s work has global resonance and, thanks to this strong position, significant projects in clinical allergy research were again launched or catalysed in the reporting year. CK-CARE’s working methods were sharpened in terms of medical translation and a strengthening of research capacities on the medical campus in Davos was defined in order to increase CK-CARE’s performance.

Annual Report 2023

CK-CARE’s work now has global resonance and, thanks to this strong position, significant projects in clinical allergy research were again launched or catalysed in the reporting year. CK-CARE’s working methods were sharpened in terms of medical translation and a strengthening of research capacities on the medical campus in Davos was defined in order to increase CK-CARE’s performance.

Kühne-Foundation Annual Report 2023

“Entrepreneurial success should go hand in hand with the promotion of  the common good. The Kühne Foundation fulfills this task. With a variety of programs and projects, the founder and the Kühne Foundation also assume their socio-political responsibility.”

The activities were significantly expanded, particularly in the area of logistics. In addition, the new focus area of climate action was established, and the first projects were launched.

Prof. Dr. h.c. Klaus-Michael Kühne

 

How flexible are neutrophils to opposing signaling?

Paola Martinez Murillo a postdoctoral researcher in Pierre-Yves Mantel’s group from CK-CARE obtained a Spark grant from the SNSF to investigate the effect of opposite signals on neutrophil biology in atopic dermatitis.

Spark is a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) funding scheme aiming to support projects that show unconventional thinking and introduce a unique approach. The Spark is highly competitive and supports projects based on promising ideas of high originality. CK-CARE was recognized as an eligible institution in June 2023 by the SNSF, opening new funding opportunities for the CK-CARE researchers.

This project aims to understand how two opposing signals: eczema dysregulated immune environment (Th2 response) and bacterial colonization (Th1 response) impact neutrophils function.

Neutrophils are tiny but powerful immune cells in our blood that fight off bacteria and viruses. They live for only 2-3 days and can quickly respond to infections. Neutrophils can adapt to different situations thanks to their genetic instructions (RNA). Our body’s reversible changes in reading DNA, called epigenomic modifications, are crucial for a functional immune response.

Eczema, a chronic skin condition, happens when various factors like genetics, skin damage, and immune reactions go haywire. People with eczema have neutrophils that do not work as well in fighting bacteria, making them more prone to infections.

This study addresses a knowledge gap in neutrophil adaptation to an allergic milieu, by evaluating neutrophil adaptation to anti-bacterial response in a type 2 immune response dominated context such as atopic dermatitis using transcriptional and epigenomic profiling along with comprehensive analysis of neutrophil functionality (netosis, phagocytosis, ROS-production, bactericidal activity, chemotaxis). Building upon in-vitro stimulation insights, then we will aim for a comprehensive analysis of neutrophil functionality in atopic dermatitis patients treated or not with Dupilumab.