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In older children, adolescents, and adults, a substantial part of all IgE-mediated food allergies is caused by cross-reacting allergenic structures shared by inhalants and foods. IgE stimulated by a cross-reactive inhalant allergen can result in diverse patterns of allergic reactions to various foods. Local, mild, or severe systemic reactions may occur already after the first consumption of a food containing a cross-reactive allergen. In clinical practice, clinically relevant sensitizations are elucidated by skin prick testing or by the determination of specific IgE in vitro. Component-resolved diagnosis may help to reach a diagnosis and may predict the risk of a systemic reaction. Allergy needs to be confirmed in cases of unclear history by oral challenge tests. The therapeutic potential of allergen immunotherapy with inhalant allergens in pollen-related food allergy is not clear, and more placebo-controlled studies are needed. As we are facing an increasing incidence of pollen allergies, a shift in sensitization patterns and changes in nutritional habits, and the occurrence of new, so far unknown allergies due to cross-reactions are expected.Food as a trigger for allergic reactions is gaining more importance, and up to 60% of food allergies in older children, adolescents, and adults are linked with an inhalant allergy. In contrast to classical food allergies where primary sensitization is thought to occur in the gastrointestinal tract and is directed mostly against stable food allergens, primary sensitization in pollen-related and some other cross-reactive food allergies is considered to be against aeroallergens.Although epidemiologic data are scarce, there is no doubt that the increase in pollen allergies is going to be followed by an increase in the so-called pollen-related food allergies (1-4).Cross-reaction is based on the binding of an IgE antibody to homologous allergen structures-shared linear or-in most cases-conformational epitopes (i.e., structural similarities). Such structures may be conserved among proteins with

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Ara h 9 is a major allergen in peanut-allergic patients from the Mediterranean area. Ara h 9 is capable of inducing histamine release from basophils, but to a lesser extent than Pru p 3.

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Until now, only a small amount of information is available about tomato allergens. In the present study, a glycosylated allergen of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), Lyc e 2, was purified from tomato extract by a two‐step FPLC method. The cDNA of two different isoforms of the protein, Lyc e 2.01 and Lyc e 2.02, was cloned into the bacterial expression vector pET100D. The recombinant proteins were purified by electroelution and refolded. The IgE reactivity of both the recombinant and the natural proteins was investigated with sera of patients with adverse reactions to tomato. IgE‐binding to natural Lyc e 2 was completely inhibited by the pineapple stem bromelain glycopeptide MUXF (Manα1–6(Xylβ1–2)Manβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–4(Fucα1–3)GlcNAc). Accordingly, the nonglycosylated recombinant protein isoforms did not bind IgE of tomato allergic patients. Hence, we concluded that the IgE reactivity of the natural protein mainly depends on the glycan structure. The amino acid sequences of both isoforms of the allergen contain four possible N‐glycosylation sites. By application of MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry the predominant glycan structure of the natural allergen was identified as MMXF (Manα1–6(Manα1–3)(Xylβ1–2)Manβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–4(Fucα1–3) GlcNAc). Natural Lyc e 2, but not the recombinant protein was able to trigger histamine release from passively sensitized basophils of patients with IgE to carbohydrate determinants, demonstrating that glycan structures can be important for the biological activity of allergens.

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