title: Seafood hypersensitivity in mite sensitized individuals: is tropomyosin the only responsible allergen?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Seafood allergy has been related to mite sensitization, mainly mediated by the muscle protein tropomyosin.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the correlation between seafood hypersensitivity and mite sensitization (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Chortoglyphus arcuatus, a highly prevalent storage mite in Spain) and to investigate the implication of tropomyosin in cross-reactivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients from Northwest Spain were divided into 2 groups. The mite-seafood group contained 30 allergic mite individuals with a clinical history of food hypersensitivity. The mite group contained 40 individuals with positive skin prick test results to D pteronyssinus and C arcuatus but negative seafood test results. Specific IgE (sIgE) to whole mite and shrimp extracts, mite tropomyosin (rDer p 10), and shrimp tropomyosin (rPen a 1) were determined in each serum sample. Allergenic profiles were analyzed by immunoblot. Cross-reactivity studies were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot inhibition studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the mite-seafood group, 71% of patients had positive sIgE results to shrimp and 55% of them to shrimp tropomyosin. A strong correlation was found between sIgE to shrimp tropomyosin and mite tropomyosin. Positive correlation was observed between sIgE to shrimp tropomyosin and severity of symptoms. In the mite group, none of the 20% of patients with sIgE to shrimp tested positive to shrimp tropomyosin. In the immunoblot inhibition experiment, the shrimp extract was totally inhibited by mite extract. These data suggest that primary sensitization is related to mite sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tropomyosin does not seem to be the main allergen involved in mite-seafood sensitization in mite sensitized individuals. High levels of sIgE to tropomyosin seem to be related to severity of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Allergy Service, Hospital General de Calde, Lugo, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boquete
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iraola
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Helder
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Carballada
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carballás
authors.forename: Jerónimo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carnés
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000276:immunology*; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D014335:Tropomyosin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E