Food allergens: molecular and immunological aspects, allergen databases and cross-reactivity.

Food allergens: molecular and immunological aspects, allergen databases and cross-reactivity. Chem Immunol Allergy. 2015;101:18-29 Authors: Lorenz AR, Scheurer S, Vieths S Abstract The currently known food allergens are assigned to a relatively small number of protein families. Food allergens grouped into protein families share common functional and structural features that can be attributed to the allergenic potency and potential cross-reactivity of certain proteins. Molecular data, in terms of structural information, biochemical characteristics and clinical relevance for each known allergen, including isoforms and variants, are mainly compiled into four open-access databases. Allergens are designated according to defined criteria by the World Health Organization and the International Union of Immunological Societies Allergen Nomenclature Sub-committee. Food allergies are caused by primary sensitisation to the disease-eliciting food allergens (class I food allergen), or they can be elicited as a consequence of a primary sensitisation to inhalant allergens and subsequent IgE cross-reaction to homologous proteins in food (class II food allergens). Class I and class II allergens display different clinical significance in children and adults and are characterised by different molecular features. In line with this, high stability when exposed to gastrointestinal digestion and heat treatment is attributed to many class I food allergens th...
Source: Chemical Immunology and Allergy - Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Chem Immunol Allergy Source Type: research