Profilin can induce severe food-allergic reactions

(HealthDay)—Profilins are complete food allergens in food-allergic patient populations that are exposed to high levels of grass pollen, according to a study published in the December issue of Allergy.

María Isabel Alvarado, from the Hospital Ciudad de Coria in Spain, and colleagues orally provoked 26 patients (17 mild reactors and nine severe reactors) with purified profilin in a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge study.

The researchers found that a significant number of patients exhibited severe positive food challenge test reactions at low doses of the allergen profilin. Patients who were prone to suffering severe reactions had lower immunoglobulin G4/immunoglobulin E ratio to major grass allergens than those who were not prone to severe reactions.

"The nature of the observed reactions and the low level of allergen eliciting the reactions suggest that intake through the oral mucosa might constitute a relevant route of exposure to food allergens," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical company ALK-Abelló, which partially funded the study and provided the palm tree pollen profilin.