Using molecular genetics to understand grass species pollen deposition: enhancing bio-aerosol models and implications for human health.

在这项提案中，我们的目标是彻底改变测量花粉的方式，对不同种类草花粉的空间和时间沉积进行建模，并确定与人类健康的联系。在英国人口中，约5%的人患有过敏反应(从花粉热到哮喘发作)，另外22%的人对草花粉敏感(即他们有能够引起反应的抗体)。草花粉是最重要的室外空气变应原，其次是树木花粉。与树木花粉类似，不同物种对草花粉的敏感度也不同。然而，我们没有办法检测、模拟或预测不同草种的花粉在空中的传播。这些限制是由于完全缺乏反映不同种类草的存在和丰度的详细来源图，以及因为草花粉与树花粉相反，不能用传统的观察方法将其分成不同的物种。因此，被监测的大约150种不同种类的草花粉的组合(使用自第二次世界大战以来保持不变的方法)被归入一个单一类别，并构成花粉预测的基础。在这个项目中，我们将开发新的模型和新的检测方法来解决这些主要缺点。目前的情况意味着，花粉热患者和卫生从业者不知道什么物种或物种的组合导致了目前的症状。个体可以针对特定的草种进行测试，但大约有1600万人对草花粉敏感，过敏反应复杂，针对150种不同草种测试种群是一项压倒性的任务。另一种方法是通过开发暴露模型来采取环境方法，并识别引起过敏反应的环境条件，然后可以对人体健康进行分析。英国植物DNA条形码文库和DNA测序技术的最新发展为识别与过敏反应有关的草的物种或物种组合提供了一个独特而及时的机会。英国植物DNA条形码文库的重要发展使我们不仅有能力在分子遗传分析中针对单个物种，而且还能够对来自复杂花粉粒混合物的高通量分子荟萃分析得出的序列进行同源性鉴定。同样，新一代空气质量模型的最新发展和计算能力的进步使这些模型能够扩展到空气生物学，以研究生物气溶胶的释放、扩散和转化以及这如何影响环境。在这里，一组专门从事空气生物建模、DNA条形码/分子遗传识别和环境健康的多学科研究人员与英国气象局合作，以(A)。开发一种新的高通量分子遗传学方法，以测量不同过敏草种在夏季的地理分布和丰度，(B)开发新的花粉生物气溶胶模型和(c.)确定哪些物种或物种组合与过敏反应(即哮喘)造成的最严重的公共健康后果有关。这项工作将提供信息，医疗保健专业人员和慈善机构将能够转化为帮助个人过上更健康、更有成效的生活。这些信息将帮助那些有长期健康状况的人有效地自我管理自己的状况，更有效地为工作场所做出贡献，并减少对伴随着经济利益的卫生系统的依赖。雇主将受益于雇主生产率的提高，制药公司将能够更好地瞄准其产品和疗法的分销。

SummaryIn this proposal, we aim to revolutionise the way that pollen is measured, model the spatial and temporal deposition of different species of grass pollen and identify linkages to human health. In the UK population ~5% suffer from allergic reactions (ranging from hay fever to asthma attacks) and further 22% are sensitised to grass pollen (i.e. they have antibodies capable of causing reactions). Grass pollen is the single most important outdoor aeroallergen closely followed by tree pollen. Similar to tree pollen, sensitivity towards grass pollen varies between species. However, we have no way of detecting, modelling or forecasting the aerial-dispersion of pollen from different species of grass. These limitations are due to complete lack of detailed source maps reflecting both the presence and abundance of different species of grass and because grass pollen, contrary to tree pollen, can not be separated into species using traditional observational methods. Therefore, combinations of the approximately 150 different species of grass pollen that are monitored (using approaches that remain unchanged since World War II) are lumped into a single category and form the foundation of the pollen forecast. In this project we will both develop new models and new methods of detection that address these major shortcomings.The present situation means that hay fever suffers and health practitioners do not know what species, or combination of species cause present symptoms. Individuals can be tested for against particular grass species, but there are ca. 16 million people sensitised to grass pollen, allergic reactions are complex and testing the population against 150 different grass species species is an overwhelming task. The alternative is to take an environmental approach by developing exposure models and identify the environmental conditions that induce the allergic response, which then can be profiled to human health.Recent developments in the generation of a UK plant DNA "barcode" library and DNA sequencing technologies have provided a unique and timely opportunity to identify the species, or combinations of species of grass that are associated with the allergic response. The important development of the UK plant DNA barcode library now gives us the ability to not only target individual species in molecular genetic analyses, but also assign identities to sequences derived from very high throughput molecular meta-analyses of complex mixtures of pollen grains. Similarly, recent developments in next generation air quality models and the advancement of computing power, has enabled the extension of these models into aerobiology in order to study the release, dispersion and transformation of bioaerosols and how this affects the environment.Here, a group of multidisciplinary researchers specialising in aerobiological modelling, DNA barcoding/molecular genetic identification and environmental health have teamed up with the UK Met Office in order to (a.) develop a novel and high-throughput molecular genetic way of measuring the geographical spread and abundance of different allergenic species of grass across the summer months, (b.) develop novel pollen bio-aerosol models and (c.) identify which species, or combinations of species are linked to the most severe public health outcomes of the allergic response (i.e. asthma).The work will provide information that healthcare professionals and charities will be able to translate into helping individuals live healthier and more productive lives. The information will help those with long term health conditions effectively self-manage their conditions, contribute more effectively to the workplace and be less reliant on the health system with accompanied economic benefits. Employers will benefit from greater employer productivity and pharmaceutical companies will be able to better target the distribution of their products and therapies.