IgE binding to almond proteins in two CAP-FEIA-negative patients with allergic symptoms to almond as compared to three CAP-FEIA-false-positive subjects
G. Pasini et al., IgE binding to almond proteins in two CAP-FEIA-negative patients with allergic symptoms to almond as compared to three CAP-FEIA-false-positive subjects, ALLERGY, 55(10), 2000, pp. 955-958
Background: Allergy to almonds has been frequently reported, but data on th
e identification of the almond allergens, as well as on the reliability of
the methods for in vitro detection of specific IgE for these allergens, are
scant. This study aimed to identify the almond allergens and to evaluate t
he reliability of the CAP-FEIA as the standard system for detection of almo
nd-specific IgE with clinical significance.
Methods: Immunoblotting performed with an almond-protein extract was carrie
d out on the sera of five patients who had previously been tested by the CA
P-FEIA system; two of these patients had tested negative with the CAP-FEIA
system but suffered life-threatening laryngeal edema after eating almonds,
whereas the other three subjects, who had tested positive with CAP-FEIA, di
d not present any symptoms subsequent to almond ingestion.
Results: The sera of the two symptomatic CAP-FEIA-negative patients had IgE
that bound only to a 37-kDa protein in immunoblotting. On the contrary, th
e sera of the three asymptomatic subjects all showed IgE binding to two alm
ond proteins of 62 and 50 kDa, corresponding to the glycosylated components
of the extract.
Conclusions: The results here presented suggest that, at least for the exam
ined subjects, the positivity to almond, as measured with a standard labora
tory method, is due to the presence of the 62/50-kDa glycoproteins with lit
tle or no immunologic significance, and not to the binding to the 37-kDa po
lypeptide, which appears to be a true almond allergen.