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Fernandez Pacios, LuisAuthorGonzález-Klein ZAuthorCuevas-Zuviría BAuthorHernández-Ramírez GAuthorPazos-Castro DAuthorRomero-Sahagun AAuthorTomé-Amat JAuthorDíaz-Perales AAuthorGarrido-Arandia MCorresponding Author

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The key to the allergenicity of lipid transfer protein (LTP) ligands: A structural characterization

Publicated to:Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-Molecular And Cell Biology Of Lipids. 1866 (7): 158928- - 2021-07-01 1866(7), DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2021.158928

Authors: Gonzalez-Klein Z; Cuevas-Zuviria B; Wangorsch A; Hernandez-Ramirez G; Pazos-Castro D; Romero-Sahagun A; Pacios LF; Tome-Amat J; Scheurer S; Diaz-Perales A; Garrido-Arandia M

Affiliations

Biotecnología Vegetal. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - Author
Paul-Ehrlich-Institut - Author
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - Author
‎ Francis Crick Inst, Cellular Degradat Syst Lab, London, England - Author
‎ Paul Ehrlich Inst, Mol Allergol, Langen, Germany - Author
‎ Univ Complutense Madrid, Fac Ciencias Quim, Dept Bioquim & Biol Mol, Madrid, Spain - Author
‎ Univ Politecn Madrid, Ctr Biotecnol & Genom Plantas UPM INIA, Madrid, Spain - Author
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Abstract

Plant lipid transfer proteins are a large family that can be found in all land plants. They have a hydrophobic cavity that allows them to harbor lipids and facilitates their traffic between membranes. However, in humans, this plant protein family is responsible for the main food allergies in the Mediterranean area. Nevertheless, not only the protein itself but also its ligand is relevant for allergic sensitization. The main aim of the present work is to analyse the natural ligands carried by four allergenic LTPs (Tri a 14, Art v 3, Par j 2, and Ole e 7), compared with the previously identified ligand of Pru p 3 (CPT-PHS ligand), and clarify their role within the immunological reactions. Results showed that the ligands of the LTPs studied shared a chemical identity, in which the presence of a polar head was essential to the protein-ligand binding. This ligand was transported through a skin cellular model, and phosphorylated phytosphingosine could be detected as result of cell metabolism. Since sphingosine kinase 1 was overexpressed in keratinocytes incubated with the LTP-ligand complex, this enzyme might be responsible for the phosphorylation of the phytosphingosine fraction of the CPT-PHS ligand. This way, phytosphingosine-1-phosphate could be mimicking the role of the human inflammatory mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate, explaining why LTPs are associated with more severe allergic responses. In conclusion, this work contributes to the understanding of the chemical nature and behavior of lipid ligands carried by allergens, which would help to gain insight into their role during allergic sensitization.

Keywords

AllergensAllergic sensitizationAmino acid sequenceBindingCarrier proteinsCellsFood allergyFood hypersensitivityIdentificationLigandLigandsLipid transfer proteinMoleculesPhytosphingosinePru p 3SystemTransport

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-Molecular And Cell Biology Of Lipids due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2021, it was in position 16/72, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Biophysics.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations from Scopus Elsevier, it yields a value for the Field-Weighted Citation Impact from the Scopus agency: 1.33, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 4.28 (source consulted: Dimensions Jun 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-06-26, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 10
  • Scopus: 27
  • Google Scholar: 21
  • OpenCitations: 19

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-06-26:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 40.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 40 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 10.25.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 2 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 1 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Germany; Guadalupe; United Kingdom.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (GONZALEZ KLEIN, ZULEMA) and Last Author (GARRIDO ARANDIA, MARIA).

the authors responsible for correspondence tasks have been GARRIDO ARANDIA, MARIA and Garrido-Arandia, Maria.