title: Role of sensitization to mammalian serum albumin in allergic disease.
abstract: Serum albumin (SA) constitutes an intriguing puzzle that is involved in allergic sensitizations from different sources and induces different clinical manifestations. In this article, we describe the role of sensitization to SAs in inducing allergic diseases and the complex interactions and cross-reactivity between SA resulting from its presence in various mammalian tissues and fluids. SAs alone are an uncommon cause of allergic sensitization in airways, but these allergenic proteins likely play a significant role as cross-reacting allergens in individuals sensitized to several types of animal dander. SAs are a minor allergen in milk but a major allergen in meats. Recently, bovine SA has been added to the culture medium of spermatozoids used for artificial insemination. As a consequence, some case reports have shown that bovine SA may be a causative agent in severe anaphylaxis after standard intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Division of Pneumology and Allergology, High Specialty, A.Cardarelli Hospital, Piazzetta Arenella n° 7, 80128 Naples, Italy. gennaro.liccardi@tin.it
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liccardi
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asero
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Amato
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Amato
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine