Cereals allergy

Καρμπόνης Ιωάννης

Ωτορινολαρυγγολόγος, Θεσσαλονίκη - Otorhinolaryngologist, Thessaloniki

Μπακνί Σάββας

Ιατρός, Ωτορινολαρυγγολόγος, Μ. Γερουλάνου 100, Αργυρούπολη, T.K. 164 52 (Δ. Ελληνικού - Αργυρούπολης, Ν. Αττικής), ηλ. : 2109649303 - Φαξ : 2109649303 - Κιν. : 6945333923

 Cereals, Δημητριακά. Cereal grains are recognized as the cause of adverse reactions in some patients exposed to grain or flour by either inhalation or ingestion. Cereals are among the major foods in type I food hypersensitivity reactions. Hypoallergenic cereals and recombinant immunotherapy have been recently patented. Cereal-related diseases, such as celiac disease and baker's asthma, have been well studied and the causative cereal proteins have been characterized. Although cereals form an essential part of daily nutrition, the allergenic proteins causing symptoms on ingestion in atopic dermatitis had remained obscure. Inhalation and ingestion routes causing cereal allergy seem to involve similar allergens, but, in celiac disease specific response to CM3 may be important[Armentia A et al, 2008] .Wheat products are also known or suggested to be responsible for a number of adverse reactions in humans, including intolerances (notably coeliac disease) and allergies (respiratory and food)[ Shewry PR, 2009]. It has been

found that wheat-allergic atopic dermatitis patients have IgE antibodies against gliadin that can be detected by both skin prick testing and the sensitive immunoblotting method. This suggested that gliadin peptides are important allergens, and ingestion of wheat causes symptoms of atopic dermatitis. In spite of that, further characterization of the

IgE-stained gliadin proteins is needed. (Varjonen E. et al, 2000). Wheat, rye, maize, barley and oat flours may induce allergic symptoms to sensitized patients via inhalation causing rhinitis or asthma, via food ingestion, causing gastrointestinal disorders, or via contact with skin, causing eczema. Wheat, rye, barley and oat belong to the same botanical group of grasses, and it could be expected a degree of cross-reactivity among these cereals [Hoffman D.R.]. Cross-reaction between cereal allergens and corresponding pollen allergens have been shown to occur. In RAST cereals are symbolized as follows: Wheat f4, Rye f5, Barley f6 and Oat f7.

References

Armentia A, Arranz E, Hernandez N, Garrote A, Panzani R, Blanco A. Allergy after inhalation and ingestion of cereals involve different allergens in allergic and celiac disease. Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2008;2(1):47-57.

Hoffman D.R.: The specificities of human IgE antibodies combining with cereal grains. Immunochem. 12 (1975) p. 535-538.

Varjonen E et al: Antigliadin IgE; indicator of wheat allergy in atopic dermatitis. Allergy, 2000:55:386-391

Shewry PR. Wheat. J Exp Bot. 2009;60(6):1537-53.