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Modelling Diseases: The Allergens of Olea europaea Pollen
 

J Quiralte,1 L Palacios,1 R Rodríguez,2 B Cárdaba,2 JM Arias de Saavedra,1 M Villalba,3 JF Florido,3 C Lahoz2

1 Allergology Section, Jaén Hospital Complex, Jaén, Spain
2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain and Immunology Service, Jiménez Díaz-CAPIO Foundation, Madrid, Spain.
3 Allergology Unit, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2007; Vol. 17, Supplement 1: 76-82
 

 Abstract


This study analyzes the infl uence of the IgE response to certain olive pollen allergens in the modulation of the different clinical phenotypes of allergic disease and their relationship with the level of exposure to pollen and genetic factors.
Patients from high-exposure areas had a complex IgE antibody response to allergens of Olea euroapea, which included 3 or more allergens in 75% of cases. The majority allergens were Ole e 1, Ole e 2 (profilin), Ole e 7 (lipid transporting protein), Ole e 9 (glucanase), and Ole e 10.
The existence of the antigen HLA-DR2(15) led to a higher risk of sensitization to Ole e 10 and a greater trend towards the development of severe asthma, which increased in the presence of an anti-profi lin IgE.
Thirty percent of patients suffering from pollinosis simultaneously presented allergy to vegetable foods. Anti-Ole e 7 IgE was significantly associated with fruit anaphylaxis and anti-profi lin IgE was detected in 90% of patients with oral syndrome.
Finally, we analyzed the role of glucanase and Ole e 10 as causes of the pollen-latex-fruit syndrome.

Key words: Olive pollen allergens. Bronchial asthma. Food allergy.