Walnut Jug r 1 is Responsible for Primary Sensitization among Patients Suffering Walnut-Hazelnut 2S Albumin Cross-Reactivity

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2024-08, Vol.72 (32), p.18162-18170
• Main Authors: Castromil-Benito, Estela S., Betancor, Diana, Parrón-Ballesteros, Jorge, Bueno-Díaz, Cristina, Gutiérrez-Díaz, Gloria, Turnay, Javier, Heras, Manuel de las, Cuesta-Herranz, Javier, Villalba, Mayte, Pastor-Vargas, Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2S Albumins, Plant - chemistry; 2S Albumins, Plant - immunology; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Allergens - chemistry; Allergens - immunology; Antigens, Plant - chemistry; Antigens, Plant - immunology; Child; Corylus - chemistry; Corylus - immunology; Cross Reactions; Female; Food Safety and Toxicology; Humans; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Juglans - chemistry; Juglans - immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Nut Hypersensitivity - immunology; Nuts - chemistry; Nuts - immunology; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - immunology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03603

Walnut and hazelnut coallergy is a frequent manifestation in clinical practice whose molecular basis remains unclear. For this purpose, walnut-hazelnut cross-reactivity was evaluated in 20 patients allergic to one or both tree nuts and sensitized to their 2S albumins. Immunoblotting assays showed that 85% of patients recognized Jug r 1, walnut 2S albumin, which was associated with the development of severe symptoms; 50% of them corecognized hazelnut 2S albumin, Cor a 14. Both allergens were isolated using chromatographic techniques. Inhibition ELISAs revealed that Jug r 1 strongly inhibited the binding of Cor a 14-specific IgE, but Cor a 14 only partially inhibited Jug r 1-specific IgE binding. Our results showed that patients sensitized to walnut/hazelnut 2S albumins were not a homogeneous population. There were patients sensitized to specific epitopes of walnut 2S albumins and patients sensitized to cross-reactive epitopes between walnut and hazelnut, with Jug r 1 being the primary sensitizer.