Background: Although the identification and characterization of several fish allergens have already been reported, there is almost no data on Indian fish allergens and the effect of thermal processing on their allergenicity. This study aimed at the evaluation of the changes in the level of allergenicity of 4 highly consumed Indian fishes, i.e. pomfret, hilsa, bhetki and mackerel, that occurred after boiling and frying. Methods: In this study 110 patients with fish hypersensitivity as evidenced by clinical history and symptoms were recruited based on their positive skin prick test results. The raw, boiled and fried muscle extracts of the 4 fishes were prepared, and each extract was tested by ELISA and immunoblotting with patients’ sera. Results: ELISA and immunoblotting studies demonstrated that the raw muscle extracts of pomfret, hilsa, bhetki and mackerel were allergenic. While the allergenicity of boiled and fried extracts of pomfret and hilsa was considerably reduced, maximum allergenicity of bhetki was demonstrated in the fried extract. The degree of allergenicity of bhetki was demonstrated in the order fried > boiled > raw while that of mackerel followed the order raw > boiled ≃ fried. Conclusion: The specificIgE-binding activity and immunoblot profile clearly showed that pomfret and hilsa fish allergens are heat-labile, while allergens of bhetki and mackerel maintained strong reactivity even after thermal treatment.

Keywords:
Bhetki, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Hilsa, IgE reactivity, Immunoblot, Mackerel, Pomfret
1.
Helbling A, McCants ML, Musmand JJ, Schwartz HJ, Lehrer SB: Immunopathogenesis of fish allergy: identification of fish-allergic adults by skin test and radioallergosorbent test. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1996;77:48–54.
2.
Crespo JF, Pascual C, Dominguez C, Ojeda I, Munoz FM, Esteban MM: Allergic reactions associated with airborne fish particles in IgE-mediated fish hypersensitive patients. Allergy 1995;50:257–261.
3.
Wal JM: Thermal processing and allergenicity of foods. Allergy 2003;58:727–729.
4.
Martínez San Ireneo M, Sandín DoloresIbanez M, Fernandez-Caldas E, Maranon F, MunozMartínez MC ,Tlaso Borrego M:The diagnostic value ofcrude or boiled extracts to identify tolerant versus nontolerant lentil-sensitive children. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2001;86:686–690.
5.
Astwood JD, Leach JN, Fuchs RL: Stability of food allergens to digestion in vitro. Nat Biotechnol 1996;14:1269–1273.
6.
Halken S, Host A, Hansen LG, Osterballe O: Safety of a new, ultrafiltered whey hydrolysate formula in children with cow milk allergy: a clinical investigation. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 1999;4:53–59.
7.
Aas K: Fish allergy and the codfish allergen model; in Brostoff J, Challacombe ST (eds): Food Allergy and Intolerance. London, Bailliere Tindall, 1987, pp 356–366.
8.
Schretter-Bugajska A, Pastore A, Vangelista L, Rumpold H, Valenta R, Spitzauer S: Molecular and immunological characterization of carp parvalbumin, a major fish allergen. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 1999;118:306–308.
9.
Untersmayr E, Schöll I, Swoboda I, Beil WJ, Förster-Waldl E, Walter F, Riemer A, Kraml G, Kinaciyan T, Spitzauer S, Boltz-Nitulescu G, Scheiner O, Jensen-Jarolim E: Antacid medication inhibits digestion of dietary proteins and causes food allergy: a fish allergy model in BALB/c mice. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112:616–623.
10.
Untersmayr E, Poulsen LK, Platzer MH, Pedersen MH, Boltz-Nitulescu G, Skov PS, Jensen-Jarolim E: The effects of gastric digestion on codfish allergenicity. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2005;115:377–382.
11.
Kopper RA, Odum JN, Sen M, Helm RM, Stanley JS, Burks AW: Peanut protein allergens: the effect of roasting on solubility and allergenicity. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2005;136:16–22.
12.
Dory D, Chopin C, Aimone-Gastin I, Gueant JL, Guerin L, Sainte-Laudy J: Recognition of an extensive range of IgE-reactive proteins in cod extract. Allergy 1998;53:42–50.
13.
Samson KTR, Minoguchi K, Rivas MN, Likura Y, Odajima Y, Miura K, Chen FH, Adachi M: IgE binding to raw and boiled shrimp proteins in atopic and nonatopic patients with adverse reactions to shrimp. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2004;133:225–232.
14.
Bernhisel-Broadbent J, Strause D, Sampson HA: Fish hypersensitivity. II. Clinical relevance of altered fish allergenicity caused by various preparation methods. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1992;90:622–629.
15.
Das A, Chakraborti P, Chatterjee U, Mondal G, ChatterjeeBP: Identification of allergens in Indian fish: hilsa and pomfret exemplified by ELISA and immunoblotting studies. Indian J Exp Biol 2005;43:1170–1175.
16.
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ: Protein measurement with the Folin-phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 1951;193:265–275.
17.
Calenoff E, McMahan ZT, Herzol GD, Kern RC, Ghadge GD, Hanson DG: Bacterial allergy in nasal polyposis: a new method for quantifying specific IgE. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1993;119:830–836.
18.
Voller A, Draper C, Bidwell DE, Bartlett A: Microplate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Chagas’ disease. Lancet1975;i:426–428.
19.
Martínez San Ireneo M, Sandín Dolores-Ibanez M, Fernandez-Caldas E, Maranon F, MunozMartínez MC ,Tlaso Borrego M: Specific IgE levels to Cicer arietinum (chick pea) in tolerant and nontolerant children: evaluation of boiled and raw extracts. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2000;121:137–143.
20.
Laemmli UK: Cleavage of structural protein during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature1970;277:680–685.
21.
Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J: Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1979;76:4350–4354.
22.
De Martino M, Novembre E, Galli L, de Marco A, Botarelli P, Marano E, Vierucci A: Allergy to different fish species in cod-allergic children: in vivo and in vitro studies. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1990;86:909–914.
23.
Hansen TK, Bindslev-Jensen C, Skov PS, Poulsen LK: Codfish allergy in adults: IgE cross-reactivity among fish species. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1997;78:187–194.
24.
Das Dores S, Chopin C, Romano A, Gallard-Irmoli AV, Quaratino D, Pascual C, Fleurence J, Gueant JL: IgE binding and cross-reactivity of a new 41-kDa allergen from codfish. Allergy 2002;57(suppl 72):84–87.
25.
Hamada Y, Nagashima Y, Shiomi K: Identification of collagen as a new fish allergen. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2001;65:285–291.
26.
Scurlock AM, Burks AW: Peanut allergenicity. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2004;93:S12–S18.
27.
Wal JM: Bovine milk allergenicity. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2004;93:S2–S11.
28.
Sanchez-Monge R, Blanco C, Perales AD, Collada C, Carrillo T, Aragoncillo C, Salcedo G: Class 1 chitinases, the panallergens responsible for the latex-fruit syndrome, are induced by ethylene treatment and inactivated by heating. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106:190–195.
29.
Scheurer S, Lauer I, Foetisch K, Moncin MSM, Retzek M, Hartz C, Enrique E, Lidholm J, Cistero-Bahima A, Vieths S: Strong allergenicity of Pru av 3, the lipid transfer protein from cherry, is related to high stability against thermal processing and digestion. J Allergy Clin lmmunol 2004;114:900–907.
© 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel
2006
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.