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Allergy Laboratory

Staff and Students

Laboratory Heads

Research Fellows

Research Assistants

  • April Dacumos
  • Nirupama Varese
  • Jun Yao
  • Thanh Dang

PhD Students

  • Hong-An Nguyen
  • Jeanne LeMasurier

Honours Students

  • Melissa Hinrichs

Research

T cell responses to allergens

Research is being conducted into the T cell recognition of allergens (especially grass pollens) by hay fever and asthma sufferers. Elucidation of the epitope repertoire and cytokine production of allergen-specific T cells will enable us to develop safer and more rational "peptide vaccines" for allergic disease.

Molecular biology and immunology of grass pollen allergens

Grass pollen allergy is an important health problem with up to 30% of the population suffering from seasonal hay fever and allergic asthma. Our NHMRC funded research work deals with the molecular cloning and characterisation of rye grass pollen allergens to gain insight into the molecular basis of allergenicity. Such novel information will pave new and exciting ways for allergy diagnosis and treatment.

FUNDING

  • CRC for Asthma
  • NH&MRC (National Heath & Medical Research Council)
  • The Harold Mitchell Foundation

 

RECENTLY PUBLISHED PAPERS

Glaspole IN, de Leon MP, Rolland JM, O'hehir RE. Anaphylaxis to lemon soap: citrus seed and peanut allergen cross-reactivity. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007 Mar;98(3):286-9

de Leon MP,  Rolland JM, O'Hehir RE. The peanut allergy epidemic: allergen molecular characterisation and prospects for specific therapy. Expert Rev Mol Med. 2007; 9(1):1-18.

de Leon MP, Drew AC, Glaspole IN, Suphioglu C, O'Hehir RE and Rolland JM. IgE cross-reactivity between the major peanut allergen Ara h 2 and tree nut allergens. Mol Immunol. 2007; 44(4):463-71

Rolland JM, Apostolou E, Deckert K, de Leon MP, Douglass JA, Glaspole IN, Bailey M, Stockley CS and O’Hehir RE.Potential food allergens in wine: Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and basophil activation analysis. Nutrition. 2006; 22(9):882-8.

Hardy CL, O'Conner AE, Yao J, Sebire K, de Kretser DM, Rolland JM, Anderson GP, Phillips DJ and O'Hehir RE. Follistatin is a candidate endogenous negative regulator of activin A in experimental allergic asthma. Clin Exp Allergy. 2006; 36(7):941-50.

Apostolou E, Deckert K, Puy R, Sandrini A, de Leon MP, Douglass JA, Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Anaphylaxis to Gelofusine confirmed by in vitro basophil activation test: a case series.Anaesthesia. 2006; 61(3):264-8.

Rolland JM, Drew AC and O’Hehir RE.  Advances in development of hypoallergenic latex immunotherapy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005; 5:544-551.

Glaspole IN, de Leon MP, Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Characterisation of the T cell epitopes of a major peanut allergen, Ara h 2. Allergy. 2005;  60:35-40.

Flaño E, Hardy C, Kim I-J, Frankling C, Coppola M, Nguyen P, Woodland D and Blackman M. T cell reactivity during infectious mononucleosis and persistent gamma herpes virus infection in mice. J Immunol. 2004; 172(5): 3078-3085.

Hardy C, Rolland J and O’Hehir R. Blocking antibodies in allergen immunotherapy: the yin and yang. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004; 34(4): 510-512.

Davies J and O’Hehir R. VH gene usage in immunoglobulin E responses of seasonal rhinitis patients allergic to grass pollen is oligoclonal and antigen driven. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004; 34(3): 429-436.

Drew A, Eusebius N, Kenins L, de Silva H, Suphioglu C, Rolland J and O’Hehir R. Hypoallergenic variants of the major latex allergen Hev b 6.01 retaining human T lymphocyte reactivity. J Immunol. 2004; 173(9): 5872-5879.

Gardner L, Spyroglou L, O’Hehir R and Rolland J. Increased allergen concentration enhances IFN-γ production by allergic donor T cells expressing a peripheral tissue trafficking phenotype. Allergy. 2004; 56(12): 1308-1317.

de Silva H, Gardner L, Drew A, Beezhold D and Rolland J. The hevein domain of the major latex-glove allergen Hev b 6.01 contains dominant T cell reactive sites. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004; 34(4): 611-618.

Beezhold D, Hickey V, Sutherland M and O’Hehir R. The latex allergen Hev b 5 is an antigen with repetitive murine B-cell epitopes. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2004; 134(4): 334-340.

Gardner L, Thien F, Douglass J, Rolland J and O’Hehir R. Induction of ‘T regulatory’ cells by standardized house dust mite immunotherapy: an increase in CD4+ CD25+ interleukin-10+ T cells expressing peripheral tissue trafficking markers. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004; 34(8): 1209-1219.

Gardner L, O’Hehir R and Rolland J. High dose allergen stimulation of T cells from house dust mite-allergic subjects induces expansion of IFN-γ+ T cells, apoptosis of CD4+IL-4+ T cells and T cell anergy. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2004; 133(1): 1-13.

de Leon MP, Glaspole I, Drew A, Rolland J, O’Hehir R and Suphioglu C. Immunological analysis of allergenic cross-reactivity between peanut and tree nuts. Clin Exp Allergy. 2003; 33(9): 1273-1280.

Suphioglu C. Analysis of immunoglobulin E-mediated responses in central Africa. Clin Exp Allergy. 2003; 33(1): 1-2.

Smart JM, Suphioglu C and Kemp AS. Age-related T cell responses to allergens in childhood. Clin Exp Allergy. 2003; 33(3): 317-324.

Gruehn S, Suphioglu C, O’Hehir R and Volkmann D. Molecular cloning and characterization of hazel pollen protein (70 kD) as a luminal binding protein (BiP): a novel cross-reactive plant allergen. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2003; 131(2): 91-100.

Gardner LM, O’Hehir R and Rolland J. T cell targeted allergen derivatives for improved efficacy and safety of specific immunotherapy for allergic disease. Curr Med Chem. 2003; 2(4): 351-365.

Hardy C, Kenins L, Drew A, Rolland J and O’Hehir R. Characterization of a mouse model of allergy to a major occupational latex glove allergen Hev b5. Am J Resp Crit Med. 2003; 167(10): 1393-1399.

Matheson MC, Dharmage SC, Forbes AB, Raven JM, Woods RK, Thien FC, Guest DI, Rolland JM, Haydn Walters E, and Abramson MJ. Residential characteristics predict changes in Der p 1, Fel d 1 and ergosterol but not fungi over time. Clin Exp Allergy. 2003; 33(9): 1273-1280.

Eusebius NP, Papalia L, Suphioglu C, McLellan SC, Varney M, Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Oligoclonal analysis of the atopic T cell response to the group 1 allergen of cynoden dactylon (bermuda grass) pollen: pre and post-allergen-specific immunotherapy. Int Arch Allergy. 2002; 127(3): 234-244. 

Mitakakis TZ, Tovey ER, Yates DH, Toelle BG, Johnson A, Sutherland MF, O’Hehir RE and Marks GB. Particulate masks and non-powdered gloves reduce latex allergen inhaled by healthcare workers. Clin Exp Allergy. 2002; 32(8): 1166-1169. 

O’Hehir RE. Immunology and allergy. Med J Aust. 2002; 176 (1): 22. 

Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Allergen immunotherapy: current and new therapeutic strategies. Allergology Int. 2002; 51: 221-231.

Sutherland MF, Drew A, Rolland JM, Slater JE, Suphioglu C and O’Hehir RE. Specific monoclonal antibodies and human immunoglobin e show that Hev b 5 is an abundant allergen in high protein powdered latex gloves. Clin Exp Allergy. 2002; 32 (4): 583-589. 

Sutherland MF, Suphioglu C, Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Latex allergy: towards immunotherapy for health care workers. Clin Exp Allergy. 2002; 32 (5): 667-673. 

BOOKS

O’Hehir R and Berger WE. 2003. Asthma and Allergies for Dummies. Wiley Publishing Australia Pty Ltd.