TABLE 2.

Recommendations for describing and naming of carbohydrate/oligosaccharide epitopes and haptens that are the target of human IgE antibodies

Recommendation #1: Where possible the stick diagram of an oligosaccharide should be shown using the Consortium for Functional Genomics (CFG) symbol nomenclature for the saccharides. In general, the core structure should be defined as a starting point for both CCD and alpha-gal and the additions or deletions to the core structure should be specified in detail, including an indication of significant or novel linkage as well as an explanation of the symbols used (See Figure 1 and Figure 3). Detailed linkage should be shown/explained when they are relevant to the binding of IgE antibodies. Obvious examples are the linkages of xylose and fucose to the core N-glycan structure (Figure 1), the alpha-1,3 linkage of the terminal galactose in alpha-gal, and the alpha-1,2 linkage of fucose to the proximal of the two galactoses on B blood group.

Recommendation #2: Where abbreviations for oligosaccharides are well established they should be used: these include CCD; alpha-gal; blood group B; MUXF3; and GOS. In addition, the ProGlycAn system can be used to describe other modifications of the core-linked N-glycans. The abbreviations used by the ProGlycAn consortium (www.proglycan.org) for describing oligosaccharides are a useful shorthand method for defining the common deletions and substitutions of the N-linked core structure (See Figure 1). An important feature of the system is that most of the abbreviations relate to a deletion or substitution as well as the linkages which are unique; for example, X=Xylose attached beta 1–2 on the proximal mannose, because this is the only way this saccharide is substituted on the core. Thus, in MUXF3, the single M and U; the X and F3 define linkages because they relate to a change that is specific.

Recommendation #3: In addition to the heterogeneous group of known sugars recognized by IgE, additional IgE-binding carbohydrates are likely to exist. The WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee encourages the submission of structures and suggested names for newly identified carbohydrates involved in IgE recognition and, especially those with evidence of relevance to clinical manifestations of allergic disease.