MANGO ALLERGY - A SIGN OF CROSS-REACTION

We have had analysed 6 cases of allergy to mango with regard to their clinical appearance and immunological state by skin test, PAST respect ively CAP, immunoblot and immunoblot inhibition. In all 6 patients a h ypersensitivity to mugwort pollen and a positive reaction in the prick -prick test to fresh mango were observed. Specific IgE antibodies agai nst mango were found in the serum of one patient only. Furthermore, th e immunoblot investigations indicated that it was possible to detected a IgE-binding to 15 kD protein (profilin) in the same case. The serum of another patient demonstrated IgE binding to the 45 and 94 kD mango allergens that were inhibited by themselves. Independent of IgE speci fic antibody-evidence against profilin were observed severe allergic r eactions. Therefore, the clinical significance of this protein shouldn 't be overrated. The results of our investigations show that we can sp eak about mugwort-related mango-allergic reaction. At this time we are able to characterize cross-reacting structures only uncompletely, bec ause partially very unstable allergens are significant.