title: Study of the cross-reactivity of fish allergens based on a questionnaire and blood testing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parvalbumin and collagen have been identified as cross-reactive allergens for fish allergies. Although doctors realize that various fish elicit allergies, the targets of food allergen labeling laws were only mackerels and salmons in Japan and mackerels in South Korea. This study aimed to reveal the causative species for fish allergy via questionnaires and blood tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire research was conducted in Japan via the internet concerning allergies for fish-allergic patients or their family members. Next, IgE reactivities and cross-reactivities of 26 fish species were analyzed using sera obtained from 16 Japanese patients who were allergic to fish parvalbumin or collagen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and inhibition ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaire research revealed that 88% patients cannot eat mackerel and salmon in addition to other fish. In addition, 85% respondents were not satisfied with the current food allergen labeling law. In ELISA analyses, we clarified that pooled serum obtained from patients with fish parvalbumin-specific allergies exhibited IgE reactivity to the extracts of most fish species, and pooled serum obtained from patients with fish collagen-specific allergies displayed IgE reactivity to the extracts of all types of fish. Inhibition ELISA experiments revealed cross-reactivities of parvalbumin or collagen to extracts from all fish tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients with fish allergies displayed allergic symptoms following the intake of various fish species. In addition, fish parvalbumin and collagen were causative factors of fish allergy and were highly cross-reactive fish panallergens. Therefore, current laws should be revised in Japan and South Korea.
authors.affiliation: Course of Safety Management in Food Supply Chain, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: yukihiro@kaiyodai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Course of Safety Management in Food Supply Chain, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Jiletu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huge
authors.affiliation: Association of Fathers of Kids with Food Allergies, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.affiliation: Course of Safety Management in Food Supply Chain, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamada-Sato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000276:immunology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D010320:Parvalbumins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D003094:Collagen
keywords: Collagen; Cross-reactivity; Fish; Parvalbumin; Questionnaire