Geographical Variability In The Ltp Recognition In A Large Sample Of Rosaceae Fruit Allergic Patients

Plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) have been widely studied as allergens involved in cross-reactivity among foods and food/pollen. Thus, dietary recommendations for patients sensitized to members of this family are tangled. Studies including both an extensive and representative panel of LTPs and a large number of patients could help us better understanding of cross-reactions mediated by LTPs. Fourteen representative LTPs, from the most frequent plant food allergies in Spain, were purified from different sources and printed in an epoxy-array. Likewise, 212 patients were recruited on the basis of their Rosaceae fruit allergy from seven different pollinic regions and individual sera were tested with the LTP array. Pru p 3, the peach LTP, was the most frequently recognized by fruit allergic patients, as expected, followed by Mal d 3, from apple, Sin a 3, from mustard, and nut tree nuts LTPs such as, Cas s 8 and Jug r 3. These results reflect the most common cross-reactions observed in the clinical context. Patients with fruit allergy showed polysensitization to LTPs, this being particularly pronounced in subjects without pollinosis. This behaviour was more frequent in areas such as Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where sensitisation to pollen LTPs related to Pru p 3, Pla a 3 and Art v 3 have been described. LTPs are clearly associated with fruit allergy and are responsible for many cross-reactivities. The local pollen profile modulates LTP recognition, this being stronger in the presence of mugwort and plane pollen.