Glycans and Glycan-specific IgE in Clinical and Molecular Allergology - Sensitization, Diagnostics and Clinical Symptoms

Publication date: Available online 4 May 2017
Source:Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Author(s): Arne Homann, Gabriele Schramm, Uta Jappe
Glycan-specific IgE antibodies are cross-reacting with highly similar or even identical carbohydrate structures on a variety of different natural allergens, the so-called cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs). In clinical practice, CCDs often interfere with the specificity of in vitro allergy diagnostics, thus impairing allergy therapy decisions for individual patients. Strikingly, these IgE antibodies directed against CCD often do not cause clinically relevant allergy symptoms. Opposed to that, the IgE-binding glycan allergen galactose-α-(1,3)-galactose (α-Gal) is associated with IgE-mediated delayed anaphylaxis in meat allergy. The reason for this discrepancy is not known. The discovery of α-Gal stimulated new discussions and investigations regarding the relevance of anti-glycan IgE for allergic diseases. In this review, the impact of glycans and glycan-specific IgE on sensitization to allergens and allergy diagnosis is described. As parasite infections elicit a similar immunological environment as allergic diseases, the association of glycan-specific antibodies against parasite glycoproteins with glycan structures on allergens are discussed.



http://ift.tt/2q6clIl