Respiratory allergy to Aspergillus-derived enzymes in bakers' asthma.
Baking and food industry workers are exposed to several powdered Aspergillus-derived enzymes with carbohydrate-cleaving activity that are commonly used to enhance baked products. We describe a retrospective study of sensitization to fungal alpha-amylase and cellulase on bakers. Five bakers in whom respiratory allergy symptoms developed when they were exposed to bread "improvers" that contained fungal alpha-amylase and cellulase were investigated by in vivo and in vitro tests. Type I hypersensitivity to these enzymes was demonstrated in the five patients by means of skin testing, histamine release test, positive reverse enzyme-immunoassay for specific IgE antibodies, and bronchial provocation test response to alpha-amylase or cellulase or both. Isolated immediate and dual responses to the bronchial challenge tests with these enzymes were observed. Immunoblot analysis with use of a pooled serum identified IgE-binding components in both enzymes. In the reverse-enzyme immunoassay-inhibition assays cross-reactivity between alpha-amylase and cellulase was not found, but some degree of cross-reactivity between alpha-amylase and A. oryzae, and between cellulase and A. niger was demonstrated. Four of the patients were also sensitized to cereal flour. Aspergillus-derived enzymes used as flour additives can elicit IgE-mediated respiratory allergy, and this fact has to be considered in the diagnosis and clinical management of bakers' asthma.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D000681:Amylases / Q000276:immunology; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000201:enzymology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002480:Cellulase / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D005503:Food Additives / Q000009:adverse effects; D006636:Histamine Release; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
D000485:Allergens; D005503:Food Additives; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000681:Amylases; D002480:Cellulase