title: Citrus allergy from pollen to clinical symptoms.
abstract: Allergy to citrus fruits is often associated with pollinosis and sensitization to other plants due to a phenomenon of cross-reactivity. The aims of the present study were to highlight the cross-reactivity among citrus and the major allergenic pollens/fruits, throughout clinical and molecular investigations, and to evaluate the sensitization frequency to citrus fruits in a population of children and adults with pollinosis. We found a relevant percentage of sensitisation (39%) to citrus fruits in the patients recruited and in all of them the IgE-mediated mechanism has been confirmed by the positive response to the prick-to-prick test. RT-PCR experiments showed the expression of Cit s 1, Cit s 3 and a profilin isoform, already described in apple, also in Citrus clementine pollen. Data of multiple sequence alignments demonstrated that Citrus allergens shared high percentage identity values with other clinically relevant species (i.e. Triticum aestivum, Malus domestica), confirming the possible cross-allergenicity citrus/grasses and citrus/apple. Finally, a novelty of the present work has been the expression of two phospholipaseA2 isoforms (PLA2 α and β) in Citrus as well as in Triticum pollens; being PLA2 able to generate pro-inflammatory factors, this enzyme could participate in the activation of the allergenic inflammatory cascade.
authors: Department of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Rosa Anna
authors: RA
authors: Iorio
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Del Duca
authors: Elisabetta
authors: E
authors: Calamelli
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Pula
authors: Magda
authors: M
authors: Lodolini
authors: Fortuna
authors: F
authors: Scamardella
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Pession
authors: Giampaolo
authors: G
authors: Ricci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D054513:Group IV Phospholipases A2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D027845:Malus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D051304:Profilins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012882:Skin Tests; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D010940:Plant Proteins; D051304:Profilins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D054513:Group IV Phospholipases A2