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BackgroundLimited is known on the profiles of apple allergy in China.ObjectiveTo explore the clinical significance of apple allergen components in northern China.MethodsThis study recruited 40 participants and categorized into apple tolerance (n = 19) and allergy (n = 21) group. The latter was categorized into oral allergy symptoms (OAS, n = 14) and generalized symptoms (GS, n = 7). All participants underwent ImmunoCAP screening to assess sIgE levels of birch, apple, and their components.ResultsThe sensitization rates were 90% for Bet v 1, 85% for Mal d 1, 35% for Bet v 2, and 20% for Mal d 3. The overall positive rate for apple allergens was 97.5%, with half demonstrating mono-sensitization to Mal d 1. Birch, Bet v 1 and Mal d 1 sIgE levels had consistent areas under the curve (AUC 0.747, p = 0.037; AUC 0.799, p = 0.012; AUC 0.902, p

Background: Limited is known on the profiles of apple allergy in China., Objective: To explore the clinical significance of apple allergen components in northern China., Methods: This study recruited 40 participants and categorized into apple tolerance ( n  = 19) and allergy ( n  = 21) group. The latter was categorized into oral allergy symptoms (OAS, n  = 14) and generalized symptoms (GS, n  = 7). All participants underwent ImmunoCAP screening to assess sIgE levels of birch, apple, and their components., Results: The sensitization rates were 90% for Bet v 1, 85% for Mal d 1, 35% for Bet v 2, and 20% for Mal d 3. The overall positive rate for apple allergens was 97.5%, with half demonstrating mono-sensitization to Mal d 1. Birch, Bet v 1 and Mal d 1 sIgE levels had consistent areas under the curve (AUC 0.747, p  = 0.037; AUC 0.799, p  = 0.012; AUC 0.902, p  < 0.001 respectively) in diagnosing apple allergy. The optimal cut-off values were determined to be 22.85 kUA/L (63.6% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity), 6.84 kUA/L (81.8% sensitivity, 71.4% specificity) and 1.61 kUA/L (93.8% sensitivity, 75.0% specificity), respectively. No allergens or components demonstrated diagnostic value in distinguishing between OAS and GS. Mal d 3 sensitization was correlated with mugwort allergy and higher risk of peach, nuts or legumes generalized allergy., Conclusion: Mal d 1 was major allergen and the best for diagnosing apple allergy. Mal d 3 does not necessarily indicate severe allergic reaction to apples in northern China but may indicate mugwort sensitization and an increased risk of peach, nuts or legumes allergy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Chen, Lan, Wang and Wang.)

BACKGROUND Since the second half of the 20th century, the cultivation of ancient and local apple cultivars has almost disappeared from orchards in Italy. Some of these ancient apple cultivars often possess high nutraceutical values and display lower allergenicity than the modern ones, supporting the so‐called 'green revolution' theory. RESULTS: In this study, the phenolic composition and the antioxidant activity of five ancient apple cultivars ('Belfiore', 'Pomella Genovese', 'Gravenstein', 'Bella del Bosco', and 'Piatlin') were compared with a 'Golden Delicious' commercial cultivar. Additionally, apples were tested for their potential allergenicity by detecting the presence of Mal d 3, a non‐specific lipid transfer protein that represents the main apples' allergen. All apples came from northern Italy (Trentino Region) and were organically produced. Results showed that, for all cultivars, the skins contained more polyphenols than the pulps. 'Bella del Bosco' had the highest amount of polyphenols and antioxidant activity, whereas 'Piatlin' had the lowest phenolic content. All ancient cultivars presented a higher amount of pulp phenolic compounds than 'Golden Delicious'. Immunoblotting techniques showed that 'Bella del Bosco' and 'Piatlin' had very low quantities of Mal d 3 allergen; hence, they can be considered hypoallergenic cultivars. CONCLUSIONS: The preservation of ancient apple cultivars would be of great importance, not only to maintain the biodiversity but also for their nutritional properties. The hypoallergenic activity of some of these cultivars could be of interest also for the preparation of different apple‐based products. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies show that nsLTP sensitization is not limited to the Mediterranean basin and can present diverse clinical phenotypes. It remains challenging to predict clinical outcome when specific IgE antibodies (sIgE) to nsLTPs are present. This study compares both clinical and in vitro allergy characteristics but also diagnostic performance of a basophil activation test (BAT) and sIgG4 in nsLTP‐sensitized patients from Antwerp (ANT, Belgium) and Barcelona (BCN, Spain). Methods: Adult subjects with positive sIgE rPru p 3 and/or rMal d 3 ≥ 0.10 kUA/L (n = 182) and healthy controls (n = 37) were included. NsLTP‐sensitized individuals were stratified according to clinical symptoms with peach/apple, respectively. BAT rPru p 3 and rMal d 3 were performed and sIgG4 antibodies to both components quantified. Results: In BCN, only ratios of sIgG4/sIgE rMal d 3 and BAT rMal d 3 (0.001 µg/mL) can identify clinically relevant Mal d 3 sensitization (sensitivity of 60%‐63% and a specificity of 75%‐67%, respectively). In ANT, only the sIgE/total IgE rPru p 3 ratio shows added value (sensitivity 60% and specificity 83%). Finally, it appears that symptomatic patients in BCN are more sensitive to lower allergen concentrations compared to ANT. In addition, it was shown that ANT patients were more often sensitized to pollen and that specific pollen sources differed between regions. Conclusions: NsLTP‐related allergy profiles and diagnostic performance differ significantly between regions and are component‐specific, which makes extrapolation of data difficult to do. In addition, it seems that basophil sensitivity might show geographical differences. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate differences in skin prick test response to apple cultivars in patients with apple allergy, 19 patients (10 adults and 9 children) underwent prick-to-prick skin prick test with eleven commercial and noncommercial apple cultivars, and evaluation of specific IgE to apple and recombinant apple allergens Mal d 1 and Mal d 3. The results show that different reactions might be evoked in a single patient by different apple cultivars and also separately for the peel and the pulp of a single cultivar. The cultivars were ranked according to their allergenicity level, being Jonathan, Jonagold, Golden Delicious and Fiesta the most allergenic when considering the pulp and Gala, Fiesta and Golden Delicious for the peel. Further investigations are needed to clarify if a single patient can be allergic only to well-defined apple cultivars and which allergometric tests are necessary to ascertain this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The lipid transfer protein of apple fruit, Mal d 3, has been produced as a soluble recombinant protein in transformed Escherichia coli cells using the GATEWAY™ technology. Circular dichroism spectra showing the protein essentially consists of α-helices indicate that the rMal d 3 is properly folded. The 1H NMR spectra also indicates a correct fold for the recombinant allergen. The reactivity of rMal d 3 towards IgE from apple allergic patients and in vitro degranulation activity measured on transformed rat basophil leukemia cells expressing the human FcεRI α-subunit of rMal d 3 is similar to those of the native allergen purified from apple fruits. The expression of active rMal d 3 in E. coli is readily feasible and offers an interesting alternative to the production of recombinant allergen in the yeast Pichia pastoris. This expression in E. coli open the way to the modification of Mal d 3 by site-directed mutagenesis for immunotherapy purposes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Revue Francaise d'Allergologie is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revue Francaise d'Allergologie is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Fruits are a major cause of food allergy in adults. Lipid transfer proteins (LTP) are implicated in severe allergic reactions to fruits, but little is known about LTP content in different cultivars. Objective: Determination of the levels of LTP in a wide range of apple cultivars. Methods: LTP was measured in apples from 53 cultivars grown in Italy and 35 grown in The Netherlands, using three different immunoassays: a competitive ELISA (cELISA), a sandwich ELISA (sELISA) and a RAST inhibition (RI). Selected cultivars were evaluated using the basophil histamine release test (BHR), skin prick test (SPT) and double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC). Results: LTP levels measured with the three immunoassays were significantly correlated, as judged by Pearson’s correlation (0.61 < Rp < 0.65; p < 0.0001), but differed with respect to the actual quantities: 3.4–253.2 (sELISA), 2.7–120.2 (cELISA) and 0.4–47.3 μg/g tissue (RI). Between cultivars, LTP titers varied over about a two-log range. Pilot in vitro and in vivo biological testing (BHR, SPT and DBPCFC) with selected cultivars supported the observed differences in LTP levels. Conclusions: Around 100-fold differences in LTP levels exist between apple cultivars. Whether the lowest observed levels of LTP warrant designation as hypo-allergenic requires more extensive confirmation by oral challenges. Determination of cultivar variation in LTP levels provides important information for growers and consumers. Comparison to earlier reported Mal d 1 levels in the same cultivars reveals that a designation as low allergenic does not always coincide for both allergens. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The linear IgE-binding epitopes of non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTP) from plants were predicted using a combination of predictive tools including (1) the hydropathic profiles based on different scales of hydrophilicity, flexibility and exposure to the solvent, (2) the hydrophobic cluster analysis plots, (3) the occurrence of charged residues in the predicted amino acid sequence stretches and, (4) the exposition of the predicted linear IgE-binding epitopes checked on the three-dimensional models built for the nsLTP. A reliable prediction was obtained for nsLTP as compared with the previously characterized IgE-binding epitopes of various proteins. A consensual IgE-binding epitope occurring in other plant nsLTP and responsible for some IgE-binding cross-reactivity among fruit nsLTP has been identified and characterized. Despite some discrepancies, a fairly good prediction resulted in applying our combination of predictive methods to longer nsLTP or plant profilins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The localization and distribution of non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTP) allergens in the skin and pulp of Rosaceae fruits (apple, peach, apricot, plum) has been investigated. nsLTP essentially concentrate in the pericarp of the fruits whereas the pulp contains lower amounts of allergens. Immunolocalization showed they are primarily located in the cytosol but are subsequently excreted and finally accumulate at the plasmalemma–cell wall interface and in the cell wall. However, high discrepancies were observed in the content of allergens among, e.g. different cultivars of apple. As a consequence, the consumption of peeled-off fruits is recommended to reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock) in individuals sensitized to Rosaceae fruits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Allergy to a plant food can either result from direct sensitization to that food or from primary sensitization to pollen, latex, or another food. Objective: We sought to investigate the primary sensitizers in apple allergy across Europe, the individual allergens involved, and whether these differences determine the clinical presentation. Methods: Patients (n = 389) with positive case histories and skin prick test responses to fresh apple were selected in the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, and Spain. Skin prick tests and RASTs to a panel of pollens and plant foods were performed, as well as RASTs to Bet v 1 and the apple allergens Mal d 1, 2, 3, and 4. Results: In the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy apple allergy is mild (>90% isolated oral symptoms) and related to birch pollinosis and sensitization to Bet v 1 and its apple homologue, Mal d 1, which has an odds ratio of local reactions of 2.85 (95% CI, 1.47-5.55). In Spain apple allergy is severe (>35% systemic reactions) and related to peach allergy and sensitization to Mal d 3 (nonspecific lipid transfer protein), which has an odds ratio of systemic reactions of 7.76 (95% CI, 3.87-15.56). Conclusion: The analysis of individual apple allergens in a clinical context has provided insight into the sensitization pathway and into the intrinsic risk an allergen bears to induce mild or severe food allergy. Clinical implications: Information on the sensitization pathway is essential to develop preventive strategies in food allergy. The application of individual food allergens with a known intrinsic risk will improve the prognostic value of diagnostic tests. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Apple cultivars have been reported to differ in allergenicity on the basis of in vitro and skin prick tests with apple extracts. Objectives: We sought to evaluate the efficacy of the prick-to-prick method in assessing differences in allergenicity of apple cultivars and to confirm differences by means of double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC). Methods: Intra-assay and intracultivar variation of prick-to-prick test results were determined in 6 Dutch and 8 Spanish patients with apple allergy by using 5 apples of the cultivars Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Ecolette in duplicate. In addition, 21 cultivars were screened for allergenicity in 15 Dutch patients with birch pollen and apple allergy. Two selected cultivars (Golden Delicious and Santana) were tested with DBPCFCs. The influence of storage conditions on allergenicity was assessed in 5 cultivars. Results: Intra-assay variation of skin prick testing was 3.9%, and intracultivar variation was 4.1%. A ranking of 21 cultivars was made on the basis of prick-to-prick tests in 9 patients. Apple cultivars were classified as of low, intermediate, and high allergenicity, with a significant difference between low and high allergenicity (P < .001). A significant difference in allergenicity determined between Golden Delicious and Santana cultivars (P < .05) was confirmed by means of DBPCFC. With 5 cultivars, controlled atmosphere (2.5% oxygen/1% carbon dioxide) was shown to reduce allergenicity (P < .001) by 15% compared with storage at 2°C. Conclusions: Prick-to-prick testing with fresh apples is a reproducible method of assessing allergenicity. Apples can be classified as of low or high allergenicity for the majority of patients. This was confirmed by using DBPCFCs. Selection of cultivars and control of storage conditions are both viable strategies for reduction of symptoms in patients with apple allergy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are involved in allergy to fresh and processed fruits. We have investigated the effect of thermal treatment and glycation on the physico-chemical and IgE-binding properties of the LTP from apple (Mal d 3). Methods: Mal d 3 was purified from apple peel and the effect of heating in the absence and presence of glucose investigated by CD spectroscopy, electrospray and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. IgE reactivity was determined by RAST and immunoblot inhibition, SPT and basophil histamine release test. Results: The identity and IgE reactivity of purified Mal d 3 was confirmed. Mild heat treatment (90°C, 20 min) in the absence or presence of glucose did not alter its IgE reactivity. More severe heat treatment (100°C, 2 h) induced minor changes in protein structure, but a significant decrease in IgE-binding (30-fold) and biological activity (100- to 1000-fold). Addition of glucose resulted in up to four glucose residues attached to Mal d 3 and only a 2- and 10-fold decrease of IgE-binding and biological activity, respectively. Conclusions: Only severe heat treatment caused a significant decrease in the allergenicity of Mal d 3 but glycation had a protective effect. The presence of sugars in fruits may contribute to the thermostability of the allergenic activity of LTP in heat-processed foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The importance of apple allergens, in particular Mal d 1, a Bet v 1 homologue for the pollen-fruit syndrome in Northern Europe, and Mal d 3, responsible for true fruit allergy in Southern Europe, has been repeatedly emphasized. However, little is known about the distribution pattern of major allergens in fruits and whether differences exist among different cultivars. Transcript expression of Mal d 1 isoforms and Mal d 3 was examined by RealTime-PCR and Northern analysis, respectively. An immuno-tissue-print (ITP) assay was developed to localise major allergens in apple fruit tissue and a Mal d 1 specific, patient independent ELISA was established. ITP analyses show that Mal d 1 and Mal d 2 are distributed throughout the apple pulp and peel, while Mal d 3 is restricted to the peel. Data obtained by ELISA reveal a variation of Mal d 1 content ranging from 0.84 to 33.17μg/g fresh weight in 39 selected cultivars. Different apple cultivars show a markedly different expression of major allergens; this finding will influence the development of diagnostic tools as well as the dietary management of allergic individuals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Selenium biofortification of apples can improve nutrient supply. • Biofortification with selenium alters composition of primary metabolites. • Increased selenium content led to reduced contents of the protein Mal d 1. • Biofortification of apples with selenium can also reduce the allergenic potential. • Selenium-containing fertilizers seem to balance stress response in apples. As allergy towards apples is widespread, the evaluation of various cultivation and postharvest influences on the allergenic potential is of great importance. Therefore, the analysis of the Mal d 1 content was the focus of this study, originally dealing with investigating the influence of a selenium biofortification on apple quality. The Mal d 1 content of apples was in most cases reduced when the fruits were biofortified with selenium. Apple variety and climatic conditions were identified as further influencing factors for the Mal d 1 content of the fruits. The separate analysis of the peel and the fruit flesh showed that the content of Mal d 1 in the fruit flesh was significantly lower in the biofortified samples than in the controls. In conclusion, the results indicate that the selenium biofortification of apples and biochemical mechanism behind can reduce the allergenic potential regarding the content of Mal d 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fruit of the Rosaceae family, in particular apples and peachs, are frequent causes of food allergy. The clinical manifestations of these allergies differ as a function of geographic location. In the context of the SAFE project (QLK1-CT-2000-01394), financed by the European Community, the apple has been chosen as a model for the study of the relationship between the clinical presentation and the profile of sensitivity to Rosaceae allergens. This study included 389 patients allergic to apples and who live in four European regions: the Netherlands (Utrecht), Austria (Vienna), northern Italy (Milan) and central Spain (Madrid). Two different profiles of apple allergy were found in Europe: one in the Netherlands, Austria and in most of the patients (90%) in northern Italy, the other in Spain and in a minority (10%) of the Italians patients. Patients coming from regions where birch pollen is present become allergic to this pollen and to its major allergen Bet v 1 through contact via the respiratory tract; allergy to apple begins later as a consequence of cross-reactivity between Bet v 1 and Mal d 1. In Spain, allergy to apple is a result of primary sensitization to peach and its major allergen Pru p 3, subsequent allergy to apple being the consequence of cross-reactivity between lipid transfer proteins Pru p 3 and Mal d 3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]