Isolation and characterization of allergens from the seeds of Vigna sinensis.

Allergenic components of cowpea vegetable green seeds (Vigna sinensis) were isolated based on solubility, isoelectric precipitation and molecular mass. The allergenicity of the cowpea fractions was monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and skin-prick test. The allergenic albumin fraction was characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and IgE-specific immunoblotting. The 41 and 55 kDa protein components were found to be major allergens and the allergenicity was resistant to heat and proteolytic enzyme digestion. This study confirms the presence of potent allergens in cowpea seeds.