Severe immediate allergic reactions to grapes: part of a lipid transfer protein-associated clinical syndrome.

Background: Grape allergy is considered rare; grape lipid transfer protein (LTP; Vit v 1), an endochitinase and a thaumatin-like protein (TLP) have been reported as grape allergens. A considerable number of patients have referred to our department for severe reactions to grapes, and several IgE binding proteins were detected.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify and characterise the allergens involved in severe allergic reactions to grapes and describe the population in which they occur.

Effect of in vitro gastric and duodenal digestion on the allergenicity of grape lipid transfer protein.

Background: Severe grape allergy has been linked to lipid transfer protein (LTP) sensitization. LTPs are known to be resistant to pepsin digestion, although the effect of gastroduodenal digestion on its allergenicity has not been reported.

Objective: We sought to investigate the effect of gastric and gastroduodenal digestion on the allergenic activity of grape LTP.

Efficacy and safety of mometasone furoate vs nedocromil sodium as prophylactic treatment for moderate/severe seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Background: The preventive use of medications has been proposed to be effective in the treatment of seasonal rhinitis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mometasone furoate and nedocromil sodium nasal sprays as prophylactic treatment for moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR).

Patients: Sixty-one patients were recruited from 3 referral allergy centers.

Disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in a child with interferon-gamma receptor 1 deficiency.

We describe the case of a 2-year-old boy with disseminated infection by a rapidly growing, poorly pathogenic mycobacterial species that belonged to the Mycobacterium fortuitum-Mycobacterium peregrinum complex. He had a severe course characterized by a poor response to treatment and recurrent lymph node abscess formation. Sequencing of the interferon-gamma receptor 1 gene (IFNgammaR1) revealed that he was homozygous for a novel null mutation, 453delT.

The Th1/Th2 cytokine balance changes with the progress of the immunopathological lesion of Sjogren's syndrome.

Expression of type-1 and type-2 cytokines at the mRNA level in labial salivary glands (LSG) of patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS), as reported by several groups, have generated conflicting results. In the present study we have directly examined the production of IL-4, IL-13 and IFN-gamma by lymphocytes infiltrating the LSG of 44 consecutive patients referred for SS evaluation. Cytokines production was evaluated following in vitro culture of LSG in the presence of IL-2.