Lipid Transfer Protein Syndrome in a Non-Mediterranean Area

• Published in: International archives of allergy and immunology Vol. 169; no. 3; p. 181
• Main Authors: Azofra, Julian, Berroa, Felicia, Gastaminza, Gabriel, Saiz, Noemi, Gamboa, Pedro M, Vela, Catalina, García, Blanca E, Lizarza, Susana, Echenagusia, Miguel Angel, Joral, Alejandro, Aranzabal, María Ascensión, Quiñones, Maria Dolores, Jauregui, Ignacio, Madera, Juan F, Navarro, Jose Antonio, Lizaso, Maria Teresa, Bernad, Amalia, Goikoetxea, Maria José
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01-06-2016
• Subjects: Adult; Allergens - immunology; Antibody Specificity - immunology; Antigens, Plant - immunology; Carrier Proteins - immunology; Comorbidity; Cross Reactions - immunology; Female; Food Hypersensitivity - diagnosis; Food Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Food Hypersensitivity - immunology; Food Hypersensitivity - prevention & control; Humans; Immunization; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Male; Phenotype; Pollen - immunology; Skin Tests; Spain - epidemiology; Syndrome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1423-0097
• DOI: 10.1159/000445893

Plant food allergies associated with lipid transfer protein (LTP) have been widely described in the Mediterranean Basin.
The aim of this work was to describe the clinical profile and pollen sensitization of plant food- allergic patients sensitized to LTP in a non-Mediterranean area.
Patients with clear IgE-mediated symptoms associated with plant foods and a positive skin prick test (SPT) to Pru p 3 were included in a prospective study in the north of Spain. Reported symptoms were analyzed together with a battery of food and pollen SPTs and specific IgE components by ISAC microarray. Cross-inhibition studies were performed by ImmunoCAP with plane tree, mugwort and rPru p 3.
Among the 72 patients included, the most frequent food allergy reported was to peaches (69%) followed by nuts (walnuts 55%, peanuts 54% and hazelnuts 43%). Most patients suffered from symptoms with multiple plant foods (a median of 6 foods per patient). Regarding the patients' pollen sensitization, 36% were sensitized to mugwort pollen (72% showing sIgE to Art v 3), 33% to grass pollen and 24% to plane tree pollen (94% with sIgE to Pla a 3). Inhibition studies showed that specific IgEs against mugwort and plane tree pollen are inhibited by Pru p 3 in a strong manner, whereas Pru p 3 was less inhibited by pollen extracts.
LTP syndrome occurs in a non-Mediterranean area and is related to multiple sensitizations to foods and pollens such as plane tree and mugwort. In these pollen sensitizations, Pru p 3 seems to be the primary sensitizer.