Allergy to Gibberellin-Regulated Proteins (Peamaclein) in Children.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Gibberellin-regulated proteins (GRPs, Peamaclein) are allergens recently identified in plant-derived food allergy (FA), and little is known about the clinical manifestations of this allergic condition in the European population, especially in children.

OBJECTIVE:

Our study aimed to identify and characterize pediatric patients with pollen-FA due to GRP sensitization.

METHODS:

We retrospectively analyzed the charts of patients referred to the Allergy Unit of the Meyer Children's Hospital in Florence for suspected FA. Three main eligibility criteria based on the actual knowledge of GRP allergy were used to select patients deserving further investigations: (1) systemic reactions after consumption of fruit or an unknown culprit food, (2) positive skin prick tests to both cypress pollen and Pru p 3-enriched peach peel extracts, (3) negative in vitro test results for Pru p 3 serum-specific Immunoglobulin E (sIgE). We performed the in vitro test to determine the anti-rPru p 7 (Peamaclein) sIgE levels in the selected patients.

RESULTS:

We identified 10 pediatric patients with Pru p 7 allergy and described their characteristics. The use of our eligibility criteria showed a high accuracy in identifying these patients: 100% of the selected patients had positive in vitro results for Pru p 7. We therefore proposed a diagnostic algorithm for Pru p 7 allergy.

CONCLUSION:

This is the first case series of European pediatric patients with a demonstrated Peamaclein allergy. These findings broaden our knowledge on GRP allergy in pediatric populations and could help clinicians to suspect, diagnose, and manage this recently discovered plant-derived FA.

• Authors: Benedetta Biagioni, Leonardo Tomei, Claudia Valleriani, Giulia Liccioli, Simona Barni, Lucrezia Sarti, Francesco Citera, Mattia Giovannini, Francesca Mori
• Journal: International archives of allergy and immunology (Int Arch Allergy Immunol) 2021 Vol. 182 Issue 12 Pg. 1194-1199 ISSN: 1423-0097 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 34280917 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Allergens
• Antigens, Plant
• Biomarkers
• Gibberellins
• Plant Proteins
• peamaclein protein, Prunus persica
• Immunoglobulin E

Topics

• Adolescent
• Algorithms
• Allergens (immunology)
• Antigens, Plant (adverse effects, immunology)
• Biomarkers (blood)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Clinical Decision Rules
• Cross Reactions
• Female
• Food Hypersensitivity (diagnosis, etiology, immunology)
• Fruit (adverse effects, immunology)
• Gibberellins (immunology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin E (blood)
• Male
• Plant Proteins (immunology)
• Pollen (adverse effects, immunology)
• Prunus persica (adverse effects, immunology)
• Retrospective Studies
• Skin Tests