title: Identification of alpha-amylase inhibitor as a major allergen of wheat flour.
abstract: We isolated a major wheat flour allergen with a molecular weight of 15-kD. The 15-kD allergen was purified from an extract of wheat flour by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by gel filtration. Using the immunoblot technique, IgE, specifically directed towards the single isolated allergen, was detectable in 50% of the applied sera. We determined the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the allergen and identified it as an alpha-amylase inhibitor protein. Our data emphasize that low molecular weight wheat flour allergens play an important role in the pathogenesis of baker's asthma disease.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Immunologie, AG Infektabwehr, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fränken
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: König
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D005433:Flour; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008970:Molecular Weight; D014908:Triticum / Q000276:immunology*; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000516:alpha-Amylases