Recombinant food allergens

Up to now, many cDNA sequences and thus, recombinant food allergens are readily available. Based on that, T cell responses to single allergens and mapping of distinct T cell proliferation regions within a sequence can be examined in allergic and non-allergic individuals. A comprehensive overview on the topic was reviewed recently (Bohle et al., 2006). 

A Recombinant Food Allergens and Their Role in Immunoassay and Immunotherapy... 

Future Trends in Applying Recombinant Food Allergens.178... 

PRODUCTION, PURIFICATION, AND AUTHENTICATION OF RECOMBINANT FOOD ALLERGENS... 

For the expression of recombinant food allergens, the genomic- or cDNA-derived clone is ligated into a vector and introduced into the host organism. Bacteria, yeast, plants, and mammalian cells can be host systems. 

Numerous recombinant allergens were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, the most frequently used expression system for recombinant food allergens (Lorenz et al. 2001). E. coli cells are easy to handle and usually a high yield can be achieved. Many different E. coli strains that can solve some shortcomings of this expression system are commercially available. 

RECOMBINANT FOOD ALLERGENS AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTS 4.2.1 IgE-Dependent Assays... 

Nevertheless, cross-reactive IgE antibodies may cause positive SPTs without clinical symptoms, e.g., in the pollen-fruit syndrome, and thus reduce specificity. Nowadays, only recombinant food allergens of pharmaceutical grade can be applied for SPTs which means reproducible production criteria under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines. 

As a proof of concept these recombinant food allergens can be used for in vitro diagnosis as well as for in vivo diagnostic approaches. Once, their equivalence to the respective natural counterpart is established, these proteins are available in unlimited quantity and can be produced in standardized quality. This offers a great improvement in setting up reliable diagnostic tools as well as allergen detection assays. 

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