Table 3.
Classification of plant allergen families according to their patterns of distribution and IgE cross-reactivity
| Classification | Plant allergen family | Clinically relevant IgE cross-reactivity between unrelated allergen sources | Distribution | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pollen | Plant food | Product | ||||||||
| T | G | W | F | V | N | L | LA | |||
| Panallergens | Profilins | yes [7] | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Eurallergens | Polcalcins | yes [34] | X | X | X | |||||
| nsLTPs | yes [78] | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| PR-10 proteins | yes [75] | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Hevein-like domain proteins | yes [79] | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| β-1,3 glucanases | yes [80] | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Stenallergens | Ole e 1-related proteins | no | X | X | X | |||||
| Polygalacturonases | no | X | X | |||||||
| Pectate lyases | no | X | X | |||||||
| Cyclophilins | no | X | X | |||||||
| Thaumatin-like proteins | no | X | X | X | ||||||
| Plant invertases | no | X | X | |||||||
| Isoflavone reductases | no | X | X | |||||||
| PR-1 proteins | no | X | X | |||||||
| Expansins (N-terminal) | no | X | X | |||||||
| α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors | no | X | X | |||||||
| Cystatins | no | X | X | |||||||
| Pectin methylesterases | no | X | X | |||||||
| Patatins | no | X | X | |||||||
| Barwin family proteins | no | X | X | |||||||
| Cupins | no | X | X | |||||||
| Fe/Mn Superoxide dismutases | no | X | X | |||||||
| Thioredoxins | no | X | X | |||||||
| Monallergens | 8 domain proteins | - | X | |||||||
| Heat shock proteins (Hsp70) | - | X | ||||||||
| Expansins (C-terminal) | - | X | ||||||||
| Group 5/6 grass allergens | - | X | ||||||||
| Berberine bridge enzymes | - | X | ||||||||
| Protein kinases | - | X | ||||||||
| Group 5 ragweed allergens | - | X | ||||||||
| Papain-like cysteine proteases | - | X | ||||||||
| 60S acidic ribosomal proteins | - | X | ||||||||
| Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors | - | X | ||||||||
| Glycoside hydrolase family 32 proteins | - | X | ||||||||
| Cereal prolamins | - | X | ||||||||
| 2S albumins | - | X | ||||||||
| Oleosins | - | X | ||||||||
| Serpin serine protease inhibitors | - | X | ||||||||
| α-amylases | - | X | ||||||||
| Legume lectins | - | X | ||||||||
| Rubber elongation factors | - | X | ||||||||
| SGNH-hydrolases | - | X | ||||||||
Due to their pattern of distribution and IgE cross-reactivity between unrelated species, plant allergens can be classified as (i) ubiquitously spread cross-reactive "panallergens" (Greek "pan": all), (ii) widespread cross-reactive "eurallergens" (Greek "euros": width), (iii) "stenallergens" (Greek: "stenos": tight), widespread allergen with limited cross-reaction, and (iv) "monallergens" (Greek "monos": single), which are restricted to a single allergen source. Detailed information on allergen families is available from the AllFam database http://www.meduniwien.ac.at/allergens/allfam/[81]. (Abbreviations: T, trees; G, grasses; W, weeds; F, fruits; V, vegetables; N, nuts and seeds; L, legumes; LA, latex)