Immunological Characterization of Dutch Sesame Seed-Allergic Patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Sesame seed is an allergen of growing importance worldwide. However, knowledge of the clinically relevant sesame allergen and its cross-reactivity with homologous allergens is limited. The aim of this study was the immunological characterization of Dutch sesame seed-allergic patients and evaluation of cross-reactivity between sesame seed, tree nut and pollen allergens using different sources of allergen extracts.

METHODS:

Six patients with a medical history of sesame seed allergy were included, i.e. 5 with an anaphylactic reaction and 1 with an oral allergy syndrome (OAS). The immunological background of the sesame seed and tree nut IgE sensitization was characterized with Western blotting and a basophil activation test (BAT). The major sesame allergen was identified by nanoLC-MS/MS. Cross-reactivity was measured using an immuno-inhibition assay with the Phadia ImmunoCAP system.

RESULTS:

Oleosin was identified as the major allergen for the 5 patients with an anaphylactic reaction to sesame seed, but no cross-reactivity between sesame and tree nut proteins was observed. For the patient with OAS, IgE specific to oleosin was not detected but cross-reactivity between sesame seed and tree nut proteins was observed. The BAT and ImmunoCAP inhibition test added value to the clinical and immunological characterization of sesame seed-sensitized patients, distinguishing relevant and non-relevant sensitizations.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our immunological approach enabled us to fully characterize the sensitization pattern of 6 sesame seed-allergic patients. The different protein composition of commercially available allergen extracts influences the outcomes of the immunological assays and thus also the diagnosis to a large extent.

• Authors: Malgorzata Teodorowicz, Rozine J Terlouw, Ad Jansen, Huub F J Savelkoul, Janneke Ruinemans-Koerts
• Journal: International archives of allergy and immunology (Int Arch Allergy Immunol) Vol. 169 Issue 1 Pg. 13-22 ( 2016) ISSN: 1423-0097 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 26954556 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Plant Extracts
• Plant Proteins
• oleosin protein, Sesamum indicum
• Immunoglobulin E

Topics

• Adult
• Basophils (physiology)
• Cross Reactions
• Female
• Food Hypersensitivity (etiology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin E (immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Plant Extracts (immunology)
• Plant Proteins (immunology)
• Seeds (immunology)
• Sesamum (immunology)