IgE sensitization to storage proteins is often related to severe allergic symptoms. There is a risk of immunological IgE cross-reactivity. The potential clinical implication of such cross-reactivity is that other than the known sensitizer, the allergens can cause allergic symptoms. The existing literature has suggested that kiwi seed may constitute hidden food allergens causing cross-reactive IgE-binding with peanut and other tree nut homologs, thereby mediating a potential risk of causing allergy symptoms among peanut and tree nut allergic individuals. This study was done with the purpose to investigate the degree of sensitization towards kiwi fruit seed storage proteins in a cohort of peanut-allergic individuals.
The sample size consisted of 59 adolescents and adults with a peanut allergy was studied, and self-reported allergies to a number of additional foods were collected.
The 59 individuals were selected and they went through the initial screening. 23 out of total individuals were reporting kiwi fruit allergy. The frequency of IgE sensitization to kiwi fruit was higher among peanut-allergic individuals also reporting kiwi fruit allergy. A positive relationship was found between IgE levels to 11S globulin and 7S globulin allergens from kiwi and peanut, but IgE levels to 2S albumin homologs did not correlate. Patients reporting kiwi fruit allergy also reported allergy to other similar nuts such as hazelnut, pea, and almond to a higher extent than peanut-allergic individuals without kiwi allergy.
The 39% of the peanut-allergic patients also reported kiwi fruit allergy, they displayed a higher degree of sensitization to kiwi storage proteins from both kiwi and peanut. They also reported a higher extent of allergy to other nuts and legumes.
Reference: https://clinicalmolecularallergy.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12948-017-0073-4
