Apple Allergy: The cDNA Sequence of the Major Allergen of Apple,Determined by Performing PCR with a Primer Based on the N-Terminal Amino Acid Sequence,is Highly Homologous to the Sequence of the Major Birch Pollen Allergen

Considering the known N-terminal amino acid sequence of the major apple allergen, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer was selected to amplify cDNA encoding this protein. A single PCR product was obtained, cloned into Escherichia coli and subsequently sequenced. The missing 5′-end of the apple cDNA sequence was obtained by a 5′-RACE method. The cDNA sequence showed 72% identity with the coding region of one of the known isoforms of Bet v 1, the major allergen of birch pollen. The deduced amino acid sequence resulted in a 158-residue protein with a calculated molecular mass of 17·5 kDa and 63% amino acid sequence identity to Bet v 1. In addition, further protein alignments showed a high degree of identity with allergens from other tree pollens and some ‘pathogenesis-related proteins’ from food plants. According to international regulations the allergen was termed Mal d 1 for this protein, it being the first major allergen discovered and characterised in fruits of apple (Malus domestica).     

Parvalbumin in fish skin-derived gelatin: is there a risk for fish allergic consumers?

The major allergen parvalbumin was purified from cod muscle tissues, and polyclonal antibodies were raised towards it. The antibodies were tested for specificity and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed using these antibodies. The ELISA was applied to measure parvalbumin in cod skin, the starting material for fish gelatin made from deep sea, wild fish. The ELISA was sufficiently sensitive (LLOQ?=?0.8?ng?ml^?1 in extracts, corresponding to 0.02?µg of parvalbumin per g of tissue), and did not cross-react with common food constituents. Fish gelatin, wine and beer, matrices for the potential use of this ELISA, did not cause disturbance of the assay performance. The data show that the parvalbumin content in cod muscle tissue is 6.25?mg?g^?1, while the skins contained considerably less, 0.4?mg?g^?1. Washing of the skins, a common industrial procedure during the manufacturing of fish gelatin, reduced the level of parvalbumin about 1000-fold to 0.5?µg?g^?1, or 0.5?ppm. From 95 commercial lots of fish gelatin it is shown that 73 are below 0.02?µg?g^?1 parvalbumin. From the other 22 lots, the one with the highest concentration contained 0.15?µg?g^?1 of parvalbumin. These levels are generally assumed to be safe for fish-allergic individuals.     

酶解对乳清蛋白抗原性影响的研究

研究了酶解对乳清蛋白抗原性的影响。选择了7种常见蛋白酶在同一水解模式下水解乳清蛋白，用竞争ELISA法测定水解物的残留抗原性，从而间接测定其过敏性变化。结果表明，酶解能有效降低乳蛋白抗原性，但水解物仍能与特异抗体反应，保留一部分抗原性。不同酶对乳清蛋白过敏原的影响不同，酶的特异性对乳清蛋白水解物的抗原性有较大的影响，碱性蛋白酶降低乳蛋白抗原性的效果最佳，对抗β-乳球蛋白（β-LG）和抗α-乳白蛋白（α-LA）抗体的抗原性分别降低了50．02％和99．72％。     

Rocket immunoelectrophoresis (RIE) for determination of potentially allergenic peanut proteins in processed foods as a simple means for quality assurance and food safety

 Peanuts are one of the most allergenic foods known. The presence of hidden allergens in processed food for reasons of mislabelling or cross-contamination expose allergic individuals to unpredictable risks, especially since highly sensitized subjects may experience severe anaphylactic reactions. The protection of consumers requires specific and sensitive methods for the detection of trace amounts of potentially allergenic peanut components. A rocket immunoelectrophoresis (RIE) procedure was developed allowing the detection of even spurious contaminations with peanut protein. For precipitation of peanut protein a commercially available antiserum was used. By amplifying precipitates with a secondary immunodetection step, 20 ng/ml peanut protein in chocolate extract, equivalent to 0.0002% peanut in chocolate, could still be detected. Model chocolate spiked with various amounts of peanut was investigated down to 0.001% peanut (10 ppm), the limit of quantitative determination. The method was optimized for detection of peanut in chocolate samples. Non-chocolate samples had to be standardized with a chocolate matrix prior to analysis in order to obtain a uniform response. Cross-reactivities with other food proteins did not occur. The method showed high recoveries of 85–101% for chocolate samples down to 10 ppm peanut and good reproducibility with coefficients of variation of ≤ 5 % for samples of ≥ 15 ppm peanut protein. The applicability of this method in the detection of peanut protein in various food commodities was demonstrated: two unlabelled products and two products which did not have peanut listed as an ingredient were identified as containing peanut protein. In all cases where peanut was listed, peanut protein could be determined. The results of RIE were always confirmed by those of a new cell-mediator-release assay that is based on a rat basophil leukaemia (RBL) cell-line (RBL-2H3), cells that are a functional equivalent to mucosal mast cells. Measuring the release of β-hexosaminidase resulting from cross-linking of basophil-bound peanut-specific immunoglobulin E, the assay mimics a main event of the allergic type-I reaction. The cell assay was adapted for food matrices and peanut could be detected down to 0.01% which additionally demonstrated in vitro that even trace amounts of peanut protein could elicit allergic reactions. Received: 28 May 1997 / Revised version: 11 July 1997     

Development of monoclonal antibodies and a competitive ELISA detection method for glycinin,an allergen in soybean

Soybean glycinin is a major food allergen causing anaphylaxis. A sensitive detection method for glycinin is needed to evaluate soybean allergies in food and feed products. In the present study, monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against glycinin were prepared using purified glycinin as the immunogen. The generated Mabs, named 3B2 and 4B2, were identified as being IgG_2b and IgG_2a iso-types respectively, and exhibited high specificity to glycinin. Then we developed a competitive ELISA based on Mab 4B2 to measure glycinin which showed an IC₅₀ value of 1.7 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.3 ng/mL, and the linear portion of the curve was 0.3–11.2 ng/mL. Recovery tests indicated that the competitive ELISA based on Mab 4B2 gave reliable reproducibility. The produced Mab 4B2 and the developed ELISA could provide a valuable tool for sensitive determination of glycinin and for future studies conducted to reveal the mechanism of how glycinin functions in anaphylaxis.     

实时荧光PCR法检测食物中榛子过敏原成分

榛子是最常见的食品过敏原之一,选择针对榛子不同基因的引物和探针,进行验证、比对和条件优化,建立榛子过敏原的实时荧光PCR检测方法。经实验比较,针对榛子热休克蛋白设计合成的引物和探针具有相对较高的灵敏性,检测限可达0.11ng DNA,而且和常见的食物种类无交叉反应,适于榛子过敏原的检测。该方法的建立,对于加强食品过敏原的标识管理,保护消费者利益、促进进出口贸易具有重要意义。     

低过敏性花生制品开发

花生过敏严重影响健康.综述了花生主要过敏原及其性质、花生制品变应原性研究进展,以及低过敏性花生制品的开发途径.     

Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of cashew nut in foods

The presence of undeclared cashew can pose a health risk to cashew-allergic consumers. The food industry has the responsibility to declare the presence of cashews on packaged foods even when trace residues are or might be present. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid, sensitive, and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of cashew residues. Raw and roasted cashews were defatted and used separately to immunize sheep, goats, and rabbits. The cashew ELISA was developed using sheep and rabbit polyclonal anti-roasted cashew sera as capture and detector reagents, respectively, with visualization through an alkaline phosphatase-mediated substrate reaction. The cashew ELISA was shown to have a limit of quantification of 1 ppm (1 μg cashew/g). The ELISA was highly specific except that substantial cross-reactivity was noted with pistachio and a lesser degree of cross-reactivity was noted with hazelnut. The performance of the ELISA was assessed by manufacturing cookies, ice cream, and milk chocolate with added known amounts (0 to 1000 ppm) of cashew. The mean percent recoveries for ice cream, cookies, and milk chocolate were 118%± 2.9%, 84.3%± 4.0%, and 104%± 3.0%, respectively. In a limited retail survey, 4/5 retail samples with cashew declared on ingredient labels tested positive for cashew compared to 5/36 samples of foods with precautionary labels indicating the possible presence of one or more tree nuts and 0/18 samples without cashew declared on the label in any manner. The cashew ELISA can be used to detect undeclared cashew residue in foods and as a potential tool for the food industry to assess the effectiveness of allergen control strategies and to guarantee compliance with food labeling regulatory requirements.     

Dot-ELISA法同时检测多种食品过敏原的实验研究

通过花生、虾、蛋清过敏原浸液皮下免疫复制小鼠过敏模型,获特异性IgE的小鼠血清进行方法学研究。将不同的过敏原以适当浓度点状吸附于硝酸纤维素膜(NC膜)上,与待检血清作用,再依次与生物素化羊抗鼠IgE第二抗体,亲和素偶联的辣根过氧化物酶反应,DAB显色。结果表明:获得了小鼠抗花生、虾、蛋清过敏原高效价特异性IgE血清。Dot-ELISA法各种过敏原最适包被量为2μL(10μg蛋白),待检抗血清最佳稀释度为1∶80,通过肉眼观察NC膜上斑点的显色即可确定待检血清中相应过敏原特异性IgE,且3种过敏原之间无交叉反应性。不同时间同批试剂重复检测结果完全一致,包被过敏原的NC膜4℃可稳定保存3个月。实验初步建立了用含有过敏原特异性IgE的小鼠血清同时检测多种过敏原的Dot-ELISA实验方案,该法简便、特异、稳定、重复性好,可成为食品过敏原鉴定与评价的新方法。