Baker’s asthma

Merget, R., Sander, 1., Raulf-Heimsoth, M., and Baur, X. (2001). Baker s asthma due to xylanase and cellulase without sensitization to alpha-amylase and only weak sensitization to flour. Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. 124, 502-505. 

Quirce, S., Fernandez-Nieto, M., Bartolome, B., Bombin, C., Cuevas, M., and Sastre, J. (2002). Glucoamylase Another fungal enzyme associated with baker s asthma. Ann. Allergy Asthma Immunol. 89,197-202. 

Baur, X. and Posch, A. (1998). Characterized allergens causing baker s asthma. Allergy, 53, 562-566. 

Amano, M., Ogawa, H., Kojima, K., Kamidaira, T., Suetsugu, S., Yoshihama, M., Satoh, T., Samejima, T., Matsumoto, I. 1998. Identification of the major allergens in wheat flour responsible for baker s asthma. Biochem J 330 1229-1234. 

Gomez, L., Martin, E., Hernandez, D., Sanchez-Monge, R., Barber, D., Del Pozo, V., de Andreas, B., Amentia, A., Lahoz, C., Salcedo, D. 1990. Members of the alpha-amylase inhibitors family from wheat endosperm are major allergens associated with baker s asthma. FEBS Lett 261 85-88. 

Sanchez-Monge, R., Garcia-Casado, G., Lopez-Otin, C., Armentia, A., Salcedo, G. 1997. Wheat flour peroxidase is a prominent allergen associated with baker s asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 27 1130-1137. 

Sander, I., Merget, R., Leonhardt, L., Chen, Z., Raulf-Heimsoth, M., Baur, X. 1999. Prevalence of allergen-specific IgE in baker s asthma. Allergy 54 (Suppl. 52) 50-51. 

Weichel, M., Glaser, A.G., Ballmer-Weber, B.K., Schmid-Gendelmeier, P., Crameri, R. 2006a. Wheat and maize thioredoxins A novel cross-reactive cereal family related to baker s asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 117 676-681. 

To date, several a-amylases have been identified in diverse organisms, e.g., Aed a 4 in yellow fever mosquito or Der p 4 in European house dust mite. Cereal a-amylases are important allergens for patients with baker s asthma involving the two crucial allergens from barley (Hor v 15 and Hor v 16). Some of these patients also show IgE reactivity to fungal a-amylases, e.g., Asp o 21 from Aspergillus, used as baking additives or present in mold contaminated flour. 

Thioredoxins are small ubiquitous enzymes present in many species from Archaebacteria to man. They serve as general protein disulfide oxido-reductases interacting with a broad range of proteins. Allergenic thioredoxins have been identified in fungi as well as in plants. The thioredoxins from wheat (Tri a 25) and maize (Zea m 25) are related to baker s asthma, an occupational disease affecting 4%-10% of bakery workers in European countries (Holmgren 1995). 

Escudero C, Quirce S, Fernandez-Nieto M, de Migel J, Cuesta J, Sastre J (2003). Egg white proteins as inhalant allergens associated with baker s asthma. Allergy, 58 616-620. 

Davies, R.J., Hendrick, D.J. and Pepys, J. (1974). Asthma due to chemical agents ampicillin, 6 amino penicillanic acid and related substances. Clinical Allergy, 4,111-241. Baur, X., Fruhman, G., Haug, B., Rasche, B., Reiher, W. and Weiss, W. (1986). Role of Apergillus amylase in baker s asthma. Lancet, (i), 43. 

Allergy to flour dust in bakers has been known since 1700 [44, 45]. Baker s asthma is a well-known occupational disease caused by IgE-mediated sensitization to cereal - mainly wheat, rye and barley - proteins. Hjorth [46] stated that most baker s dermatitis was associated with an immediate-type hypersensitivity. Herxheimer [47, 48] studied the development of skin sensitivity in baker s apprentices for 5 years and showed that the percentage of sensitive subjects increased gradually until a constant figure of 20% was reached. Many different proteins were identified as allergenic in wheat flour, especially in the water-soluble albumin and globulin fractions [49]. There is extensive cross-reactivity between these cereals, and -to a minor extent - between them and other cereals such as oat, corn and rice [50]. 

Block G, Tse K, Kijek K, et al. (1983) Baker s asthma clinical 72. and immunological studies. Clin Allergy 13 359-370... 

Block G, Tse KS, Kijek K, et al. (1983) Baker s asthma clinical and immunological studies. Clin Allergy 13 359-370 Kanerva L, Brisman J (1997) Contact urticaria, dermatitis and respiratory aUergy caused by enzymes. In Amin S, Lahti A, Maibach HI (eds) Contact urticaria syndrome. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 129-142... 

Allergies due to enzymes in bakeries have been reported since 1986 when Baur and coworkers (1986) demonstrated the role of Aspergillus a-amylase in baker s asthma. Since then, several reports have confirmed the role of a-amylase as a respiratory allergen (Brisman 1994 Houba et al. 1996 Vanhanen et al. 1996). a-Amylase has also caused contact urticaria and protein contact dermatitis in bakers (Morren et al. 1993 Schirmer et al. 1987 Tarvainen et al. 1991a). 

Baur X, Fruhmann G, Haug B, Rasche B, Reiher W, Weiss W (1986) Role of aspergillus amylase in baker s asthma. Lancet... 

Kanerva L, Estlander T, Alanko K, Pfaffli P, Jolanki R (1999) Occupational dermatitis from unsaturated polyester resin in a car repair putty. Int J Dermatol 38 447-452 Karjalainen A, Toildcanen J (eds) (1997) From baker s asthma to cement dermatitis. Occupational disease risks in various occupations (in Finnish). Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, pp 1-92... 

Wheat is one of the foods most commonly responsible for allergic reactions in children and adults. Hypersensitivity reactions to ingested wheat protein sources typically occur within an hour and include cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and/or respiratory symptoms. These reactions are clinically distinct from other adverse reactions to wheat protein, including baker s asthma, an inhalant IgE-mediated reaction to wheat and other cereal grain flours celiac disease, a non-IgE-medi-ated enteropathy caused by wheat gliadin and wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis. 

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