Pollen food syndrome: update on the allergens

Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2008 Sep;8(5):413-7. doi: 10.1007/s11882-008-0080-0.

Abstract

Pollen food syndrome results from cross-reactivity between pollen-specific IgE and homologous proteins found in fruits and vegetables. These proteins can be grouped into several categories based on structure and include profilins, pathogenesis-related proteins, and cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants. Although cooking the reactive fruits and vegetables has been shown to destroy IgE-binding epitopes, evidence suggests that the remaining linear epitopes can bind cross-reactive T cells and enhance T-cell activation in vitro. Several methods of diagnosing food allergies exist, including skin prick tests and double-blind food challenges; however, diagnosing pollen food syndrome depends almost exclusively on clinical history. Immunotherapy has been studied as a treatment for pollen food syndrome, with highly variable results.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / immunology*
  • Cross Reactions
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / immunology
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / metabolism
  • Food Hypersensitivity / diagnosis
  • Food Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Food Hypersensitivity / metabolism
  • Food Hypersensitivity / therapy
  • Fruit / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood*
  • Plant Proteins / immunology*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Pollen / immunology*
  • Profilins / immunology
  • Profilins / metabolism
  • Syndrome
  • Vegetables / immunology

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Plant Proteins
  • Profilins
  • Immunoglobulin E