Isolation and characterization of the major centipede allergen Sco m 5 from Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans

Background: Allergic reactions have been observed following both direct centipede bites and the clinical use of centipede-containing medicines, such as traditional Chinese medicines utilizing Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans; however, no natural centipede allergen has yet been characterized. Methods: An allergen was purified from S. s. mutilans venom using Superdex 75 gel filtration and RESOURCE S ion chromatography, and its primary structure was determined via a combination of LC-MS-MS, MALDI-TOF/TOF and protein sequencing techniques. Its potential allergenicity was evaluated by immunoblotting, ELISAs, skin prick tests (SPTs) and mast cell activation assays. Results: A novel allergen Sco m 5 (210 amino acids long) was successfully purified from crude S. s. mutilans venom. Sco m 5 could promote the degranulation of a human mast cell line, HMC-1. Among centipede-allergic patients, Sco m 5 showed an 83.3% IgE-binding frequency and a 66.7% positive reaction frequency, as detected by immunoblotting and SPTs, respectively. Sco m 5 IgE-binding frequencies of common Chinese population was found to be 9%e16%. Sera positive for Sco m 5 IgE-binding was cross-reactive against venom from the wasp Vespa mandaeinia. Conclusions: The present study isolated and characterized a novel allergen termed as Sco m 5 from the centipede S. s. mutilans. The use of Sco m 5 to identify centipede-allergic individuals could be important, given the high potential allergenicity of Sco m 5 among the general Chinese population, along with the likely possibility of cross-reactivity against wasp venom among centipede-allergic patients. Copyright (C) 2020, Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

A novel allergen, Sco m 5, was isolated and characterized from the centipede S. s. mutilans, showing high IgE-binding and positive reaction frequencies among centipede-allergic patients. Additionally, Sco m 5 also displayed a certain IgE-binding frequency among the general Chinese population.