DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY

Research Group of Prof. Marija Gavrović Jankulović

Our research focuses on the structural and immunological characterization of allergenic proteins and the use of molecular approaches in the design of novel allergy treatments. Allergic disease is pandemic in modern society, affecting 150 million people in the EU alone. Allergy diagnosis and treatment is faced with a multitude of obstacles arising from natural variations in source materials and unknown underlying mechanisms of sensitization.

Employing the methods of biochemistry and molecular biology our group has contributed to the improvement of predictive and prognostic values of in vitro diagnostic results in kiwifruit allergy by describing novel kiwifruit allergens (kiwifruit TLP - Act d 2, cysteine proteinase inhibitor - Act d 4) and performing extensive studies regarding the influence of thermal treatment and inhibitor binding on the structure and allergenicity of major kiwifruit allergen actinidin (Act d 1). Our current research also revolves around elucidating the mechanism of allergic sensitization to food proteases and we have shown that actinidin, a cysteine protease, induces changes in morphology and adhesion of T84 intestinal epithelial cells and compromises the intestinal barrier by disrupting tight junctions in Caco-2 intestinal cells. In addition, our research group has successfully produced and characterized numerous recombinant forms of IgE binding proteins for facilitated diagnosis of food allergies (banana beta-1,3-glucanase - Mus a 5; kiwifruit cysteine proteinase inhibitor - Act d 4, actinidin - Act d1...).

The second area of active research involves the use of molecular approaches to design new methods for allergy treatment. This goal is achieved by molecular modification of allergenic proteins (such as creation of hypoallergenic variants of kiwifruit allergens) and the development of improved and novel approaches based on protein therapeutics. Currently, we are investigating the potential use of chimeric recombinant proteins with immunomodulatory or mucoadhesive components (e.g. banana lectin, hemagglutinin) as delivery systems in immunotherapy.