Mugwort Pollen-Related Food Allergy: Lipid Transfer Protein Sensitization and Correlation With the Severity of Allergic Reactions in a Chinese Population

PURPOSE: Little is known about the importance of lipid transfer protein (LTP) sensitization in China. In this study, we investigated the relationship between LTP sensitization and the severity of clinical symptoms in a population of patients with mugwort pollen-related food allergy. METHODS: Food-induced symptoms were evaluated in 148 patients with mugwort pollen allergy by a standardized questionnaire. Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) to Art v 1, Art v 3, Pru p 3, Ara h 9 and Cor a 8 were quantified by ImmunoCAP. Immunoblotting of peach extracts were performed with sera from peach-allergic patients. RESULTS: In total, 72% (107/148) of the study population experienced food allergy. Forty-eight percent (51/107) of patients with mugwort pollen-related food allergy experienced at least 1 episode of food-induced anaphylaxis. Food allergy correlated with IgE reactivity to Art v 3, but not to Art v 1. Sensitization to Pru p 3, Ara h 9 or Cor a 8 was prevalent (80%, 69 or 63%, respectively) among individuals with food allergy. Food allergic patients with systemic reactions (SR) had higher values for Pru p 3, Ara h 9 and Cor a 8 than patients with oral allergy syndrome (OAS). Furthermore, the strong IgE reactivity detected in immunoblots of peach extracts indicated that Pru p 3 was the major allergen and was more prevalent in patients with SR than in patients with OAS (100% vs. 55%). CONCLUSIONS: LTPs are major food allergens for mugwort pollen-related food allergy in China, and may contribute to SR.

The impact of age on Pru p 3 IgE production in Italy

BACKGROUND: Pollen allergy may be frequently associated with fruit-vegetables: the so-called pollen food syndrome. Pru p 3 is the most relevant peach allergen. Previously, it has been reported that serum specific IgE level to Pru p 3 depends on age in a limited geographic area. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to to test the hypothesis about the differences of Pru p 3 sensitization across Italy, mainly concerning the impact of age. METHODS: The current study was retrospective and multicentre, involving 2 labs in Northern Italy (709 subjects), 1 in Genoa (1,040 subjects), and 1 in Southern Italy (2,188 subjects). All of them referred to labs for IgE testing because of suspected food allergy. Serum IgE to Pru p 3 was assessed in all subjects. RESULTS: Sixteen point seven percent (16.7%) of subjects were sensitized to Pru p 3. Sensitization percentage sigificantly decreased over time. The serum IgE levels increased up to young adulthood and then decreased until aging. CONCLUSION: Our experience demonstrates that Pru p 3 sensitization and production are closely age-dependent phenomena.

A case study of apple seed and grape allergy with sensitisation to nonspecific lipid transfer protein

Lipid transfer proteins can be an important cause of allergy given their stability and high degree of protein sequence homology. We describe the case of a child who developed two separate episodes of anaphylaxis after consuming apple seed and grape, with evidence that nonspecific lipid transfer proteins may have been responsible for these reactions. Lipid transfer protein allergy should be considered when anaphylaxis is inconsistent, such as in patients who can tolerate fruit pulp but react to fresh whole fruit juices.

Comparison of Specific IgE Antibodies to Wheat Component Allergens in Two Phenotypes of Wheat Allergy

Specific IgE to gliadin was proposed as a marker for wheat dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis, while Tri a 14 was found to induce IgE response in baker's asthma. We evaluated whether these components could be used for discriminating phenotypes of wheat allergy. Twenty-nine patients who were wheat-induced anaphylaxis and/or urticaria (n=21, group I) and baker's asthma (n=8, group II) were enrolled. The prevalence of serum specific IgE to Tri a 14 was higher in group II (25%) than in group I (4.8%), while the serum specific IgE to gliadin was significantly higher in group I (70%) than in group II (12.5%). The cutoff value for predicting the baker's asthma using the ratio of serum specific IgE to Tri a 14 to gliadin was 742.8 optical densityx1,000/(kU/L) with high sensitivity and specificity. These findings suggest that Tri a 14/gliadin may be a potential marker for predicting baker's asthma.

Alterations in lipid transfer to High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and activity of paraoxonase-1 in HIV+ patients / Alterações na transferência de lípides para a lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL) e atividade da paroxonase 1 em pacientes HIV+

HIV+ patients often develop alterations of the plasma lipids that may implicate in development of premature coronary artery disease. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) has an important role in preventing atherogenesis and the aim of this study was to investigate aspects of HDL function in HIV+ patients. HIV+ patients (n = 48) and healthy control subjects (n = 45) of both sexes with similar age were studied. Twenty-five were not being treated with antiretroviral agents, 13 were under reverse transcriptase inhibitor nucleosidic and non-nucleosidic (NRTI+NNRTI) and 10 were under NRTI + protease inhibitors (NRTI+PI) treatment. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity and the transfer of free and esterified cholesterol, tryglicerides and phospholipids from a lipidic nanoemulsion to HDL were analyzed. In comparison with healthy controls, HIV+ patients presented low PON-1 activity and diminished transfer of free cholesterol and tryglicerides. In contrast, phospholipid transfer was increased in those patients, whereas the transfer of cholesteryl esters was unchanged. NRTI+NNRTI increases the transfer of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides but in NRTI+PI there was no difference in respect to non-treated HIV+ patients. HDL from HIV+ patients has smaller antioxidant properties, as shown by lower PON-1 activity, and the transfer of lipids to this lipoprotein fraction is also altered, suggesting that HDL function is defective in those patients.

Pacientes HIV+ freqüentemente desenvolvem alterações no metabolismo de lípides que podem influir no desenvolvimento de doença arterial coronária. A lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL) tem papel importante na prevenção da aterogênese. Para investigar aspectos funcionais da HDL na doença, foram estudados 48 pacientes HIV+ e 45 indivíduos-controle saudáveis de ambos os sexos, com idade semelhantes. Vinte e cinco pacientes HIV+ não recebiam terapia antirretroviral, 13 estavam sob tratamento com inibidores nucleosídicos de transcriptase reversa e não-nucleosídicos (NRTI+NNRTI) e 10 sob tratamento com NRTI e inibidor de protease (NRTI+PI). Analisou-se a atividade da paroxonase 1 e a transferência de colesterol livre e esterificado, triglicérides e fosfolipídios de uma nanoemulsão lipídica para a HDL. Pacientes HIV+ apresentaram menor atividade da paroxonase 1 e menor transferência de colesterol livre e triglicérides em relação aos indivíduos saudáveis. A transferência de fosfolipídios foi maior nesses pacientes, mas a transferência de éster de colesterol foi similar. NRTI+NNRTI aumenta a transferência de éster de colesterol e triglicérides, mas em NRTI+PI não houve diferença comparando com os pacientes HIV+ não tratados. A HDL de pacientes HIV+ tem propriedades antioxidantes reduzidas, evidenciada pela menor atividade da paraxonase 1, e transferência de lipídios alterada, sugerindo que a HDL apresente função defeituosa nestes pacientes.

Classification and Character of Plant Food Allergens / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

Food allergy is an adverse food reaction as a result of immune mechanisms. In a sensitized individual, food allergens activate mast cells and basophils by binding with IgE present on the cell surface, resulting in the release of chemical mediators and various cytokines to cause various clinical symptoms of food allergy. Sensitization to food allergens can occur in the gastrointestinal tract (class 1 food allergy) or as a consequence of cross reactivity to structurally homologous inhalant allergens (class 2 food allergy). The class 1 food allergens are water-soluble glycoproteins with 10-70 kD size that are resistant to heat, acid and enzymes. On the other hand, the class 2 food allergens are highly unstable and degraded by heat or enzymatic digestion. Much progress has been made in identifying and isolating food allergen. Recently cDNAs for many proteins have been isolated and recombinant proteins have been generated. These techniques make it easier to characterize each responsible food allergens. Plant food allergens are classified into families and superfamilies by their structural and functional properties. The most of plant food allergens are the cupin and prolamin superfamilies and the protein families of the plant defense system. The cupin superfamily includes allergenic seed storage proteins of 7s globulin (vicilin) and 11s globulin (legumin). 2s albumin seed storage proteins, the nonspecific lipid transfer proteins, and the cereal alpha-amylase and protease inhibitors belong to the prolamin superfamily. Profilins, heveins, and nonspecific lipid transfer proteins are present in a variety of pollens, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. These are considered as panallergens, causing a significant degree of IgE-mediated cross-reactivity. Detailed informations about the character of food allergens can be used to develop more sophisticated diagnostic methods and treatment modalities in the near future. Further knowledge of food allergens is also useful to assess the allergenicity of novel protein of genetically mo.