Crossreactive allergen-specific IgE in children with birch pollen allergic rhinitis

Objective. The aim of this study was to research a sIgE allergen profile of birch pollen and to evaluate a contribution of some homologous food allergens as well as latex allergen to the development of sensibility in allergic rhinitis (AR) / rhinoconjunctivitis patients, in focus of cross-reactivity and oral allergy syndrome.. Methods. Blood sera of 21 AR/rhinoconjunctivitis patients (at the age of 3 to 16) and 20 healthy persons without allergy symptoms were used. sIgE to birch pollen, soybean, latex, apple and celery as well as the total IgE levels were measured by the ImmunoCAP method (Phadia, Sweden) and the ELISA kits (Alkorbio, Russia). Results. We detected high total IgE levels, sIgE to allergens of birch pollen, apple, celery, as well as to recombinant allergens of birch Bet v 1, Bet v 2 and soybean - Gly m 4 in AR patients. Correlation analysis of IgE humoral response to homologous proteins showed the direct valid dependence between the sIgE levels to birch isoallergen Bet v 1 and soy isoallergen Gly m 4 (r=0,84; p<0,05). There was also the direct valid correlation between the sIgE levels to birch isoallergen Bet v 1 and allergens of apple and celery (r=0,67 and 0,57, accordingly). Conclusion. Correlation between the IgE humoral antibody response to the major allergen of birch pollen Bet v 1 on the one hand and allergens of soy, apple and celery on the other hand shows that cross-reactivity can play an important role in exacerbation of clinical symptoms in AR/rhinoconjunctivitis patients including oral allergy syndrome.