title: Component-resolved in vitro diagnosis of carrot allergy in three different regions of Europe.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carrot is a frequent cause of food allergy in Europe. The objective of this study was to evaluate a panel of carrot allergens for diagnosis of carrot allergy in Spain, Switzerland and Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine carrot allergic patients, 71 pollen allergic but carrot-tolerant patients and 63 nonatopic controls were included. Serum IgE to carrot extract, recombinant carrot allergens (rDau c 1.0104; rDau c 1.0201; rDau c 4; the isoflavone reductase-like proteins rDau c IFR 1, rDau c IFR 2; the carrot cyclophilin rDau c Cyc) were analyzed by ImmunoCAP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity of the carrot extract-based test was 82%. Use of the recombinant allergens increased the sensitivity to 90%. The Dau c 1 isoforms were major allergens for Swiss and Danish carrot allergic patients, the profilin rDau c 4 for the Spanish patients. The rDau c IFR 1 and rDau c IFR 2 were recognized by 6% and 20% of the carrot allergics, but did not contribute to a further increase of sensitivity. Among pollen allergic controls, 34% had IgE to carrot extract, 18% to each of rDau c 1.0104, rDau c 1.0201 and rDau c 4, 8% to rDau c IFR 1 and 7% to rDau c IFR 2. Sensitization to rDau c Cyc occurred in one carrot allergic patient and one nonatopic control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Component-resolved in vitro analyses revealed a significant difference in IgE sensitization pattern between geographical regions and in the prevalence of sensitization to carrot components between carrot allergic and carrot-tolerant but pollen sensitized patients.
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland. Barbara.ballmer@usz.ch
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Ballmer-Weber
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skamstrup Hansen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sastre
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bätscher
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ostling
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: K-M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hanschmann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holzhauser
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lidholm
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vieths
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D052179:Antigens, Plant; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011994:Recombinant Proteins