title: [Hypersensitivity about environmental chemicals--mainly about food allergy].
abstract: The hypersensitivity of environmental chemicals and natural products has been reviewed. Among environmental chemicals, small molecular weight molecules work as hapten and cause immediate-type and delayed-type hypersensitivity. Among natural products, relatively lower molecular weight protein or glycoprotein (MW 10,000-70,000 kDa) work as allergen and cause mainly immediate-type hypersensitivity. In recent years, amino acid sequence of important natural allergens have been determined, and three-dimensional structure and IgE epitopes of some of these allergens have also been determined. The characteristics of both inhalation and food allergens have been summarized. As for food allergens, the stability of these proteins in simulated gastric fluid(SGF) was one of the most important characteristics. In the last parts, the approach to the assessment of allergenic potential of genetically modified foods has been summarized.
authors.affiliation: rteshima@nihs.go.jp
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teshima
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified / Q000009:adverse effects; D005750:Gastric Juice; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000737:chemistry; D008970:Molecular Weight; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000939:Epitopes; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E