Maturity and storage influence on the apple (Malus domestica) allergen Mal d 3, a nonspecific lipid transfer protein.

Consumption of apples can provoke severe allergic reactions, in susceptible individuals, due to the presence of the allergen Mal d 3, a nonspecific lipid transfer protein, found largely in the fruit skin. Levels of Mal d 3 were determined in peel as a function of apple cultivar, position of the fruit growing on the tree, apple maturity, and postharvest storage by ELISA. As the apples mature, Mal d 3 levels increased, although the rate was dependent on cultivar and tree position. During storage, levels of Mal d 3 decreased in all cultivars (cvs. Cox, Jonagored, and Gala), the rate of overall decrease being greatest under controlled atmosphere conditions. There was no correlation between Mal d 3 levels and total apple peel protein, indicating specific alterations in Mal d 3 expression. Thus pre- and postharvest treatments (i.e., storage) can modify the allergen load in apple peel, the highest levels being found in overly mature and freshly harvested fruits.

[1]  N. Rigby,et al.  The effect of thermal processing on the IgE reactivity of the non‐specific lipid transfer protein from apple, Mal d 3 , 2005, Allergy.

[2]  G. Marzban,et al.  Localisation and distribution of the major allergens in apple fruits , 2005 .

[3]  K. Hoffmann‐Sommergruber,et al.  Linkage map positions and allelic diversity of two Mal d 3 (non-specific lipid transfer protein) genes in the cultivated apple (Malus domestica) , 2005, Theoretical and Applied Genetics.

[4]  S. Torres-Schumann,et al.  A probable lipid transfer protein gene is induced by NaCl in stems of tomato plants , 1992, Plant Molecular Biology.

[5]  T. Harada,et al.  Inheritance of the Md-ACS1 gene and its relationship to fruit softening in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) , 2004, Theoretical and Applied Genetics.

[6]  B. Hwang,et al.  Three pathogen-inducible genes encoding lipid transfer protein from pepper are differentially activated by pathogens, abiotic, and environmental stresses. , 2003, Plant, cell & environment.

[7]  R. Van Ree,et al.  Immunological cross‐reactivity between lipid transfer proteins from botanically unrelated plant‐derived foods: a clinical study , 2002, Allergy.

[8]  D. Fortunato,et al.  Characterization of the major allergen of plum as a lipid transfer protein. , 2001, Journal of chromatography. B, Biomedical sciences and applications.

[9]  S. Scheurer,et al.  Recombinant allergens Pru av 1 and Pru av 4 and a newly identified lipid transfer protein in the in vitro diagnosis of cherry allergy. , 2001, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[10]  H. Steinhart,et al.  Characterization of Allergens in Mango Fruit and Ripening Dependence of the Allergenic Potency , 2001 .

[11]  W. Bramlage,et al.  Developmental changes of cuticular constituents and their association with ethylene during fruit ripening in ‘Delicious’ apples , 2001 .

[12]  D. Marion,et al.  Binding of two mono-acylated lipid monomers by the barley lipid transfer protein, LTP1, as viewed by fluorescence, isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular modelling. , 2001, European journal of biochemistry.

[13]  D. Fortunato,et al.  Evidence for a lipid transfer protein as the major allergen of apricot. , 2000, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[14]  D. Fortunato,et al.  Clinical role of a lipid transfer protein that acts as a new apple-specific allergen. , 1999, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[15]  Cuevas,et al.  Peels of Rosaceae fruits have a higher allergenicity than pulps , 1999, Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

[16]  L. C. Loon,et al.  The families of pathogenesis-related proteins, their activities, and comparative analysis of PR-1 type proteins , 1999 .

[17]  M. Senda,et al.  An allele of the ripening-specific 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase gene (ACS1) in apple fruit with a long storage life. , 1999, Plant physiology.

[18]  C. Baroglio,et al.  The major allergen of peach (Prunus persica) is a lipid transfer protein. , 1999, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[19]  M. Lombardero,et al.  Lipid-transfer proteins are relevant allergens in fruit allergy. , 1999, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[20]  M. B. Trevino,et al.  Three drought-responsive members of the nonspecific lipid-transfer protein gene family in Lycopersicon pennellii show different developmental patterns of expression. , 1998, Plant physiology.

[21]  R. Van Ree,et al.  Allergy to Rosaceae fruits without related pollinosis. , 1997, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[22]  J. Kader.  LIPID-TRANSFER PROTEINS IN PLANTS. , 1996, Annual review of plant physiology and plant molecular biology.

[23]  L. Hsieh,et al.  Characterization of apple 18 and 31 kd allergens by microsequencing and evaluation of their content during storage and ripening. , 1995, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[24]  A. Segura,et al.  The defensive role of nonspecific lipid-transfer proteins in plants. , 1995, Trends in microbiology.

[25]  S. Vieths,et al.  Apple allergy: the IgE‐binding potency of apple strains is related to the occurrence of the 18‐kDa allergen , 1994, Allergy.

[26]  A. Molina,et al.  Developmental and pathogen-induced expression of three barley genes encoding lipid transfer proteins. , 1993, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.