Flour Allergy in Bakers

Abstract

Extract of wheat flour obtained by extraction, centrifugation and dialysis was immunochemically characterized by quantitative immunoelectrophoresis using rabbit antibodies. The analysis revealed wheat flour to be composed of 40 antigens, some of which were immunologically partially identical with antigens of rye flour and of common grass pollen. Furthermore, antigens of the gliadin fraction of wheat flour were identified. 25 bakers with allergic complaints working in and around Copenhagen were clinically tested with wheat flour and related extracts. Among 13 bakers with respiratory complaints (asthma and/or rhinitis), 11 showed positive reactions to wheat flour extract when tested in histamine release from basophil leukocytes radioallergosorbent test and skin test, whereas further 2 were positive in the basophil test only. The ability of the IgE of individual sera to adsorb to the individual antigens of wheat flour was examined by means of crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis. On the basis of these results, individual allergenic components of wheat flour were identified, three of these with comparatively high affinity and frequency.

Wheat antigen exposure assessment for epidemiological studies in bakeries using personal dust sampling and inhibition ELISA

“…Several previous studies have demonstrated that many proteins from wheat flour can be IgE-binding allergens and that bakers with occupational asthma differ markedly with respect to the allergens recognized by their scrum IgE antibodies [1. [21][22][23]. Our immunoblots of IgR-positive sera, are consistent with these findings.…”

Characterization of Allergenic Components of Rye and Wheat Flour <i>(Secale,</i><i>Triticu</i><i>m</i><i>vulgaris)</i> by Western Blot with Sera of Bakers: Their Effects on CD23 Expression

“…Using a water-soluble extract we achieved the physiological conditions of the environment in the lung. Previously, it was shown that this extract con tained the most potent allergenic components of flour [20,21]. It must be considered that water-insoluble proteins may be lost during the extraction procedure [2, 22], Individual allergenic and antigenic components of rye flour extract were characterized by Western blot technique.…”

A major barley allergen associated with baker's asthma disease is a glycosylated monomeric inhibitor of insect ?-amylase: cDNA cloning and chromosomal location of the gene

“…Protein BMAI-1 gave a positive reaction together with CMb* and transferrin, while WMAI-1, BDAI-1 and chymotrypsinogen did not. [ 12] after SDS-PAGE (A) of the following members of the family of inhibitors of e-amylase/trypsin: subunit CMb* from the barley tetrameric e-amylase inhibitor (3), the allergen BMAI-1 (4), the barley homodimeric inhibitor BDAI-1 (5) and the wheat monomeric inhibitor WMAI-1 (6). Transferrin (1) and chymotrypsinogen (2) were used as positive and negative controls respectively.…”

“…This allergy, named baker's asthma, is mainly provoked by flour proteins [ 3 ]. Although a large number of these IgE-binding components has been detected in cereals, the most prominent allergens seem to be associated with the salt-soluble protein fraction [ 1,2,5,24]. The isolation and characterization of these allergens are an important goal in relation to the diagnosis and therapy of cereal allergies.…”