Novel insights on the biology and immunologic effects of histamine: A road map for allergists and mast cell biologists.

Histamine (CHN, molecular weight 111.15 g/mol) is a well-studied endogenous biogenic amine composed of an imidazole ring attached to an ethylamine side chain. It has a limited half-life of a few minutes within tissues and in circulation.

The quest for ingested peanut protein in human serum.

Background: There is mounting evidence that systemic uptake of food allergens is key to triggering anaphylaxis. However, direct proof for this theory is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to quantify the absorption and to determine the absorption kinetics of immunoreactive peanut protein in relation to the allergic response in human.

Immunological effects and potential mechanisms of action of autologous serum therapy in chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Background: Autoimmune processes are considered to play a major role in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Very recently, interleukin 24 (IL-24) has been identified as an immunoglobulin E (IgE) autoantigen in CSU. Some studies revealed that notably autologous serum skin test (ASST)-positive CSU patients may benefit from autohemotherapy; however, the mechanisms of action remain unknown.

Histamine release positive test associates with disease remission in chronic spontaneous urticaria: a proof-of-concept study.

Histamine release (HR) test has previously been shown to predict the presence of endogenous histamine-releasing factors in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Twenty CSU patients unresponsive to antihistamine treatment were enrolled in order to evaluate the correlations between HR test results and demographic features, quality of life, disease activity, clinical course, and autologous serum and plasma skin tests (ASST and APST). All patients with positive HR test (9/9, 100%) had a more severe disease activity at onset (urticaria activity score, UAS > 2) when compared to negative HR test patients (5/11; p = 0.

Role of Histamine Release Test for the Evaluation of Patients with Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions to Clavulanic Acid.

Background: Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to clavulanic acid (CLV) seem to be on the increase. Diagnosis is mainly based on skin testing and the drug provocation test (DPT), procedures that are not risk free. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the histamine release test (HRT) could help evaluate patients with selective hypersensitivity to CLV.

Development of a hypoallergenic recombinant parvalbumin for first-in-man subcutaneous immunotherapy of fish allergy.

Background: The FAST (food allergy-specific immunotherapy) project aims at developing safe and effective subcutaneous immunotherapy for fish allergy, using recombinant hypoallergenic carp parvalbumin, Cyp c 1.

Objectives: Preclinical characterization and good manufacturing practice (GMP) production of mutant Cyp (mCyp) c 1.

Methods: Escherichia coli-produced mCyp c 1 was purified using standard chromatographic techniques.

Cold urticaria patients exhibit normal skin levels of functional mast cells and histamine after tolerance induction.

Cold urticaria is a skin condition characterized by rapid appearance of itchy wheals and occasionally angioedema in response to cold stimulation. Antihistamines do not sufficiently protect all patients from symptoms, even when used in higher than standard doses. In these patients, desensitization to cold can be beneficial.

Effect of roasting on the allergenicity of major peanut allergens Ara h 1 and Ara h 2/6: the necessity of degranulation assays.

Background: Peanuts are often consumed after roasting, a process that alters the three-dimensional structure of allergens and leads to Maillard modification. Such changes are likely to affect their allergenicity.

Objective: We aimed to establish the effect of thermal treatment mimicking the roasting process on the allergenicity of Ara h 1 and a mix of 2S albumins from peanut (Ara h 2/6).

Occupational rhinosinusitis due to etoposide, an antineoplastic agent.

Objective: This paper reports a rare case of an occupational hypersensitivity reaction to an antineoplastic agent.

Methods: This is a clinical case report of a 45-year-old nurse who developed throat irritation and chronic nasal congestion followed by sinusitis shortly after beginning work at an oncological out-patient clinic. The symptoms disappeared upon leaving the clinic two years later, but they returned when she resumed work at the oncology unit at Hillerød Hospital, Denmark, handling chemotherapy on a daily basis.

Anaphylaxis to Patent Blue V. II. A unique IgE-mediated reaction.

Background: Patent Blue V (PBV) is injected in order to map sentinel nodes during cancer staging procedures. Anaphylactic reactions, allegedly IgE antibody mediated, have been reported. The aim of the study was to explore the immunological mechanism of anaphylaxis to PBV.

IgE-mediated food allergy diagnosis: Current status and new perspectives.

In June 2005, the work of the EU Integrated Project EuroPrevall was started. EuroPrevall is the largest research project on food allergy ever performed in Europe. Major aims of the project are to generate for the first time reliable data on the prevalence of food allergies across Europe and on the natural course of food allergy development in infants.

A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled oral challenge study to evaluate the allergenicity of commercial, food-grade fish gelatin.

Background: Recent interest in the labeling of foods and food proteins derived from allergenic sources necessitates determination of the potential allergenicity of such food ingredients. Fish gelatin is extracted from the skin of fish species known to elicit allergic reactions in sensitized individuals.

Objective: To determine the allergenicity of fish gelatin by double-blinded, placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC) in clinically fish-allergic individuals.

Cross-reactivity to eel, eelpout and ocean pout in codfish-allergic patients.

Fish allergy is one of the most common food allergies in both children and adults and patients with allergic reactions to one fish species have in many cases been given the advice to avoid all fish, without further evaluation. The possible common reactivity between different fish species is not well studied. Because of this and a possible exploitation of fish species hitherto not much used in the Scandinavian diet ocean pout, eelpout and eel were evaluated.

Diagnostic value of scratch-chamber test, skin prick test, histamine release and specific IgE in birch-allergic patients with oral allergy syndrome to apple.

Background: The aim of the study was to examine the diagnostic value of skin prick test (SPT), scratch-chamber test (SCT), histamine release (HR) and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in birch-allergic patients with oral allergy syndrome to apple.

Methods: Ten birch-allergic patients with oral allergy syndrome to apple and 10 control subjects were included. All were tested with SPT, SCT, HR and specific IgE [CAP, Pharmacia, Sweden and Magic Lite (ML), ALK-ABELLO, Denmark].

Assessment of the potential allergenicity of ice structuring protein type III HPLC 12 using the FAO/WHO 2001 decision tree for novel foods.

The introduction of novel proteins into foods carries a risk of eliciting allergic reactions in individuals sensitive to the introduced protein. Therefore, decision trees for evaluation of the risk have been developed, the latest being proposed by WHO/FAO early in 2001. Proteins developed using modern biotechnology and derived from fish are being considered for use in food and other applications, and since allergy to fish is well established, a potential risk from such proteins to susceptible human beings exists.

Spontaneous and cytokine induced basophil adhesion evaluated by microtiter assay.

We have developed a microtiter assay for evaluating basophil spontaneous adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins exemplified by fibronectin and cytokine induced basophil adhesion to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The percentage of basophils adhering to either ECM or BSA was quantified by the histamine content of the adhering basophils. The spontaneous adhesion to fibronectin was higher than to laminin and collagen type I.

Allergenic components of a novel food, Micronesian nut Nangai (Canarium indicum), shows IgE cross-reactivity in pollen allergic patients.

Background: New foods may present a risk for food hypersensitive patients. Several examples exist of allergic reactions caused by cross-reactive plant-derived foods, and new foods should be scrutinised before introducing them to the market. We have evaluated the clinical and serological relevance of cross-reactivity between Nangai and pollen allergens.

Allergens from fish and egg.

Allergens from fish and egg belong to some of the most frequent causes of food allergic reactions reported in the literature. Egg allergens have been described in both white and yolk, and the egg white proteins ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin and lysozyme have been adopted in the allergen nomenclature as Gal d1-d4. The most reported allergen from egg yolk seems to be alpha-livitin.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge with apple.

The aim of the study was to develop and evaluate different methods of double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) with apple. Three different DBPCFC models were evaluated: fresh apple juice, freshly grated apple, and freeze-dried apple powder. All challenges were performed outside the pollen season and took place from 1997 to 1999.

Immediate allergic and nonallergic reactions to Christmas and Easter cacti.

Background: Occupational exposure to Christmas cacti has been reported as a cause of type I allergy. Therefore, the prevalence of immediate-type mucosal and skin reactions related to cactus exposure was studied in 103 employees in a cactus nursery.

Methods: The study was based on a questionnaire followed by clinical examination, skin prick tests (SPT) with standard inhalant allergens and cacti, and a histamine-release test (HRT/Refix) using fresh cactus extracts as elicitor.

Basophil histamine release, IgE, eosinophil counts, ECP, and EPX are related to the severity of symptoms in seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Background: Serum specific IgE, basophil histamine release, and blood eosinophil parameters are associated with allergic rhinitis, but investigations of the relationship to the severity of allergic symptoms are few and conflicting. Our study aimed to investigate the seasonal changes in the following laboratory tests: specific IgE, basophil histamine release, eosinophil counts, and serum and plasma eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and eosinophil protein X (EPX), and to analyze, in detail, the relationship of each individual test to the severity of symptoms in rhinitis patients allergic to both birch and grass pollen.

Methods: The above tests were performed on blood samples obtained from 49 allergic rhinitis patients during the birch-pollen season, during the grass-pollen season, and after the seasons.