Molecular approach to a patient's tailored diagnosis of the oral allergy syndrome.

Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is one of the most common IgE-mediated allergic reactions. It is characterized by a number of symptoms induced by the exposure of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa to allergenic proteins belonging to class 1 or to class 2 food allergens. OAS occurring when patients sensitized to pollens are exposed to some fresh plant foods has been called pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS).

Pomegranate chitinase III: Identification of a new allergen and analysis of sensitization patterns to chitinases.

Allergy to pomegranate is often associated with severe symptoms. Two allergens have previously been described: 9k-LTP Pun g 1 and pommaclein Pun g 7. This study describes the isolation of a chitinase III, identified by direct protein sequencing and mass spectrometry.

Der p 11 is a major allergen for house dust mite-allergic patients suffering from atopic dermatitis.

House dust mites (HDMs) belong to the most potent indoor allergen sources worldwide and are associated with allergic manifestations in the respiratory tract and the skin. Here we studied the importance of the high-molecular-weight group 11 allergen from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p 11) in HDM allergy. Sequence analysis showed that Der p 11 has high homology to paramyosins from mites, ticks, and other invertebrates.

Wheat IgE profiling and wheat IgE levels in bakers with allergic occupational phenotypes.

Objectives: To characterise occupational wheat allergic phenotypes (rhino-conjunctivitis, asthma and dermatitis) and immunoglobulin (IgE) sensitisation to particular wheat allergens in bakers.

Methods: We conducted clinical and immunological evaluations of 81 consecutive bakers reporting occupational symptoms using commercial tests (skin prick test (SPT), specific IgE, ISAC microarray) and six additional dot-blotted wheat allergens (Tri a 39, Tri a Trx, Tri a GST, Tri a 32, Tri a 12, Tri a DH).

Results: Wheat SPT resulted positive in 29 bakers and was associated with work-related asthma (p<0.

Identification of Der p 23, a peritrophin-like protein, as a new major Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen associated with the peritrophic matrix of mite fecal pellets.

The house dust mite (HDM) Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is one of most important allergen sources and a major elicitor of allergic asthma. We screened a D. pteronyssinus expression cDNA library with IgE Abs from HDM allergic patients.

Tolerability of a fully maturated cheese in cow's milk allergic children: biochemical, immunochemical, and clinical aspects.

Background: From patients' reports and our preliminary observations, a fully maturated cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano; PR) seems to be well tolerated by a subset of cow's milk (CM) allergic patients.

Objective And Methods: To biochemically and immunologically characterize PR samples at different maturation stage and to verify PR tolerability in CM allergic children. Seventy patients, with suspected CM allergy, were enrolled.

Varying allergen composition and content affects the in vivo allergenic activity of commercial Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extracts.

Background: Diagnosis and immunotherapy of house-dust mite (HDM) allergy is still based on natural allergen extracts. The aim of this study was to analyze commercially available Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extracts from different manufacturers regarding allergen composition and content and whether variations may affect their allergenic activity.

Methods: Antibodies specific for several D.

Allergenic lipid transfer proteins from plant-derived foods do not immunologically and clinically behave homogeneously: the kiwifruit LTP as a model.

Background: Food allergy is increasingly common worldwide. Tools for allergy diagnosis measuring IgE improved much since allergenic molecules and microarrays started to be used. IgE response toward allergens belonging to the same group of molecules has not been comprehensively explored using such approach yet.

IgE recognition patterns of profilin, PR-10, and tropomyosin panallergens tested in 3,113 allergic patients by allergen microarray-based technology.

Background: IgE recognition of panallergens having highly conserved sequence regions, structure, and function and shared by inhalant and food allergen sources is often observed.

Methods: We evaluated the IgE recognition profile of profilins (Bet v 2, Cyn d 12, Hel a 2, Hev b 8, Mer a 1, Ole e 2, Par j 3, Phl p 12, Pho d 2), PR-10 proteins (Aln g 1, Api g 1, Bet v 1.0101, Bet v 1.

Sensitization prevalence, antibody cross-reactivity and immunogenic peptide profile of Api g 2, the non-specific lipid transfer protein 1 of celery.

Background: Celery (Apium graveolens) represents a relevant allergen source that can elicit severe reactions in the adult population. To investigate the sensitization prevalence and cross-reactivity of Api g 2 from celery stalks in a Mediterranean population and in a mouse model.

Methodology: 786 non-randomized subjects from Italy were screened for IgE reactivity to rApi g 2, rArt v 3 (mugwort pollen LTP) and nPru p 3 (peach LTP) using an allergen microarray.

Carrier-bound, nonallergenic Ole e 1 peptides for vaccination against olive pollen allergy.

Background: Trees of the family Oleaceae (olive and ash) are important allergen sources in Mediterranean countries, Northern and Central Europe, and North America. The major olive pollen allergen Ole e 1 represents the majority of allergenic epitopes in olive pollen and cross-reacts with Fra e 1, the major ash pollen allergen.

Objective: We sought to develop a safe vaccine for the treatment of Oleaceae pollen allergy.

Microarrayed allergen molecules for the diagnosis of allergic diseases.

IgE-mediated allergic diseases are among the most prevalent diseases worldwide. The use of extracts in the skin test and the additional use of IgE testing still represent the current basis for the diagnostic work-up. During the past 30 years, knowledge of the molecular structure of allergens has increased dramatically, and the characterization and production of allergenic molecules, as natural purified compounds or recombinant products, is allowing us to approach the allergy diagnostic work-up differently.

Influence of the natural ripening stage, cold storage, and ethylene treatment on the protein and IgE-binding profiles of green and gold kiwi fruit extracts.

Kiwi fruit is an important source of food allergens, the number and relevance of which are still the object of investigation. Following a comparative analysis of the protein profiles in SDS-PAGE and IgE immunoblotting, a significant influence of conditions such as the ripening stage and the extraction method on the composition of green and gold kiwi fruit extracts was observed. Furthermore, the experimental data indicate that, mostly in the green species, a ripe fruit may have a different concentration of total proteins and a different amount of single components when ripeness is reached by different means of postharvest handling, such as ethylene exposure with or without previous cold storage.