Sensitization and allergy to turnip rape: a comparison between the Finnish and French children with atopic dermatitis.
OBJECTIVE
Finnish children with atopic dermatitis (AD) are frequently sensitized and show positive food challenge to turnip rape. We examined whether French children are also allergic to this oilseed plant and whether mustard could be the cross-reacting allergen.


METHODS
Turnip rape and mustard challenge was performed to 14 Finnish and 14 French children with atopic dermatitis and positive skin prick test to turnip rape. Specific IgE antibodies were measured by ImmunoCAP and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Open labial or oral challenge to turnip rape was positive in 14 (100%) Finnish and five (36%) French children and mustard challenge in five Finnish and five French children. IgE antibodies to oilseed rape and mustard were slightly more frequent in the Finnish (100% and 93%) than in the French (93% and 71%) children but rare (4%) in the 28 matched controls. The same findings were true for IgE antibodies to purified 2S albumin allergens, which showed similar cross-wise IgE inhibition patterns.


CONCLUSIONS
French children with atopic dermatitis show IgE antibodies to turnip rape, oilseed rape and mustard similarly to the Finnish children. 2S albumin allergens in the seeds of these plants are highly cross-reactive and therefore, they all could be important sensitizers in children with atopic dermatitis.
Poikonen
S
S
Department of Dermatology, University and University Hospital of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. sanna.poikonen@uta.fi
Rancé
F
F
Puumalainen
T J
TJ
Le Manach
G
G
Reunala
T
T
Turjanmaa
K
K
D029688:Brassica napus / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009149:Mustard Plant / Q000276:immunology
D007073:Immunoglobulin E