STUDIES ON THE GENETIC PREDISPOSITION OF TYPE-I SENSITIZATION TO ASPERGILLUS AMYLASE AND A 59 KD FLOUR ALLERGEN

Occupational allergies in bakeries are predominated caused by flour co mponents, in some cases also by flour additives. Recent molecular gene tic studies have shown a correlation between the HLA-D system and the allergen-specific immune response. Therefore we investigated 68 person s in bakeries. 16 persons were sensitized to Asp o I and 20 were sensi tized to a 59 kD flour allergen. Eight of these persons showed sensiti zations for both allergens. 40 non-allergic bakers (EAST negative) ser ved as reference. The study was performed using a non-radioactive PCR- SSO typing technique. Statistical analysis showed only in the case of the 59 kD flour allergen a significant increase for allele DPB10401 i n comparison to the exposed non-allergic persons. When we consider dat a about the normal caucasoid population distribution frequencies we fo und a significant increase of DR2 in both allergen-sensitive groups. I n contrast the non-allergic controls show a significant increase for D R53 in comparison to published caucasoid population frequencies. So fa r, our data indicate that allele DPB10401 is involved in the restrict ion of the specific immune response in the case of the 59 kD flour all ergen but we have to examine this declaration with further investigati ons.