Anaphylaxis to pine nuts and immunological cross-reactivity with pine pollen proteins

Citation
G. Senna et al., Anaphylaxis to pine nuts and immunological cross-reactivity with pine pollen proteins, J INVES ALL, 10(1), 2000, pp. 44-46
Citations number
6
Categorie Soggetti
Clinical Immunolgy & Infectious Disease
Journal title
JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIONAL ALLERGOLOGY & CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
ISSN journal
10189068 → ACNP
Volume
10
Issue
1
Year of publication
2000
Pages
44 - 46
Database
ISI
SICI code
1018-9068(200001/02)10:1<44:ATPNAI>2.0.ZU;2-#
Abstract
Despite the wide use of pine nuts, the fruit of Pinus pines. only a few rep orts of allergic reactions to them have been published. We present herein a case of food allergy to pine nuts in a patient who showed no clinical symp toms to pine pollen despite the presence in her serum of specific IgE antib odies. In order to verify whether the reaction against pine nuts was IgE me diated, specific IgE against pine nuts and pollen were evaluated by skin-pr ick test, prick by prick and RAST: Immunoblotting and immunoblotting-inhibi tion were used to evaluate the allergenic components of both extracts and t heir cross-reactivity. Prick by prick with fresh pine nuts and PAST with pi ne not and pine pollen extracts showed that the patient had high levels of specific IgE against both extracts. Immunoblotting experiments showed the p resence in serum of IgE antibodies against several components in pine nuts and pollen. Immunoblotting-inhibition experiments demonstrated the presence of some cross-reacting components. These data confirm the existence of foo d allergy induced by pine nuts. This sensitization to pine nuts developed w ith no symptoms of pine pollinosis. Development of pollinosis may require a longer time of exposure to allergens. Based on the cross-reactivity betwee n pine nut and pine pollen extracts, cosensitization to these two allergens could be possible.