ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION TO LYCHEE FRUIT - EVIDENCE FOR SENSITIZATION TOPROFILIN

Background and Objective Due to the increasing popularity of exotic fr uits in the Western diet, allergologists are confronted with allergic reactions to substances in these plants. The present report describes an anaphylactic reaction after the consumption of lychee fruit (Litchi sinensis). The atopic patient also suffers from rhinoconjunctivitis d ue to a sensitization against pollen of the Compositae family, as well as from dyspnoea after eating sunflower seeds. Our goals were to dete rmine crossreactivity between antibodies against lychee fruit and othe r plants and to characterize the allergen. Methods and results Specifi c IgE against lychee fruits were detected by an EAST assay. The allerg en was characterized by immunoblot, immunoblot inhibition and EAST inh ibition assays. Broad crossreactivity between lychee fruit and other p lants was found and profilin identified as the protein responsible for the patient's complex allergy syndrome. Conclusion Lychee fruit conta ins a significant amount of profilin. Consumption of this exotic fruit can cause severe anaphylactic reactions in patients being sensitized against the plant pan-allergen profilin.