|
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
|
|
JACI Highlights - July 2009For some patients, SCP may be more important than tropomyosin as a shrimp allergenShellfish allergy is the most frequent food allergy in adults in the United States. Recently it has been determined that shellfish allergy is the main cause for emergency room visits for food allergy in adults and children older than 6 years. While shellfish allergy has been well characterized in adults and tropomyosin has been identified as the main allergen, limited data are available regarding other shellfish proteins that provoke allergic reactions in children. In this study, Ayuso and colleagues identified a novel shrimp allergen, a sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein (SCP). Interestingly, this protein is mainly recognized by 74% of children (compared with 10% of adults). Although SCP is recognized by 38% of all subjects overall, for some subjects SCP appears to be the main shrimp allergen. ELISA inhibition experiments show that up to 78% of individual subjects’ shrimp-specific IgE is inhibited by recombinant SCP. In addition, SCP causes more basophil activation than tropomyosin, indicating that for some subjects SCP may be more important than tropomyosin as a shellfish allergen. The researchers recommend that the allergen be included in future designs of diagnostic and treatment strategies for shellfish-allergic patients. “Sarcoplasmic Calcium-binding Protein is an EF-hand type protein identified as a new shrimp allergen” by Ayuso et al. (JACI July 2009 Volume 124 No. 1) |
||||||||||||
|
© 1996-2009 · All Rights Reserved · American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology |
||||||||||||||
