Background: Watermelon is a worldwide consumed Cucurbitaceae fruit that can elicit allergic reactions. However, the major allergens of watermelon are not known. The aim of this study is to identify and characterize major allergens in watermelon. Methods: Twenty-three patients allergic to watermelon took part in the study. The diagnosis was based on a history of symptoms and positive skin prick-prick tests to watermelon, confirmed by positive open oral challenge testing to watermelon pulp. Allergenic components were detected by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Molecular characterization of IgE-binding bands was performed by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. Allergens were purified combining several chromatographic steps. Results: Several IgE binding bands (8–120 kDa) were detected in watermelon extract. Three major allergens were identified as malate dehydrogenase (36 kDa), triose phosphate isomerase (28 kDa) and profilin (13 kDa). Purified allergens individually inhibited IgE binding to the whole watermelon extract. Conclusions: All in all these results indicate that malate dehydrogenase, triose phosphate isomerase and profilin are major allergens involved in watermelon allergy.

Keywords:
Malate dehydrogenase, Triose phosphate isomerase, Profilin, Watermelon, Food allergy
1.
Sicherer SH, Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson HA: Prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy in the United States determined by means of a random digit dial telephone survey: a 5-year follow-up study. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112:1203–1207.
2.
Mullins RJ: Paediatric food allergy trends in a community-based specialist allergy practice, 1995–2006. Med J Aust 2007;186:618–621.
3.
Sampson HA: Update on food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:805–819.
4.
Sociedad Española de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica y Alergia e Inmunolgía Abelló SA: Alergológica: Factores epidemiológicos, clínicos y socioeconómicos de las enfermedades alérgicas en España. Alergia a alimentos. Madrid, Nilo Industrias Gráficas, 1995.
5.
Breiteneder H, Radauer C: A classification of plant food allergens. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:821–830.
6.
Egger M, Mutschlechner S, Wopfner N, Gadermaier G, Briza P, Ferreira F: Pollen-food syndromes associated with weed pollinosis: an update from the molecular point of view. Allergy 2006;61:461–476.
7.
Anderson LB Jr, Dreyfuss EM, Logan J, Johnstone DE, Glaser J: Melon and banana sensitivity coincident with ragweed pollinosis. J Allergy 1970;45:310–319.
8.
Enberg RN, Leickly FE, McCullough J, Bailey J, Ownby DR: Watermelon and ragweed share allergens. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1987;79:867–875.
9.
Enberg RN, McCullough J, Ownby DR: Antibody responses in watermelon sensitivity. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1988;82:795–800.
10.
Jordan-Wagner DL, Whisman BA, Goetz DW: Cross-allergenicity among celery, cucumber, carrot, and watermelon. Ann Allergy 1993;71:70–79.
11.
Asero R, Mistrello G, Roncarolo D, Amato S, Zanoni D, Barocci F, Caldironi G: Detection of clinical markers of sensitization to profilin in patients allergic to plant-derived foods. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112:427–432.
12.
Dreborg S, Foucard T: Allergy to apple, carrot and potato in children with birch pollen allergy. Allergy 1983;38:167–172.
13.
Skin tests used in type I allergy testing. Position paper. Sub-Committee on Skin Tests of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology. Allergy 1989;44 (suppl 10):1–59.
14.
Figueredo E, Cuesta-Herranz J, De-Miguel J, Lazaro M, Sastre J, Quirce S, Lluch-Bernal M, de las Heras M: Clinical characteristics of melon (Cucumis melo) allergy. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003;91:303–308.
15.
Martínez A, Fernández-Rivas M, Martínez J, Palacios R: Improvement of fruit allergenic extracts for immunoblotting experiments. Allergy 1997;52:155–161.
16.
Bradford MM: A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 1976;72:248–254.
17.
Laemmli UK: Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 1970;227:680–685.
18.
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.
19.
Barrio E, Anton LC, Marques G, Sanchez A, Vivanco F: Formation of covalently linked C3-C3 dimers on IgG immune aggregates. Eur J Immunol 1991;21:343–349.
20.
Gallego-Delgado J, Lazaro A, Osende JI, Barderas MG, Duran MC, Vivanco F, Egido J: Comparison of the protein profile of established and regressed hypertension-induced left ventricular hypertrophy. J Proteome Res 2006;5:404–413.
21.
Gonzalez-Barderas M, Gallego-Delgado J, Mas S, Duran MC, Lazaro A, Hernandez-Merida S, Egido J, Vivanco F: Isolation of circulating human monocytes with high purity for proteomic analysis. Proteomics 2004;4:432–437.
22.
Shevchenko A, Jensen ON, Podtelejnikov AV, Sagliocco F, Wilm M, Vorm O, Mortensen P, Shevchenko A, Boucherie H, Mann M: Linking genome and proteome by mass spectrometry: large-scale identification of yeast proteins from two dimensional gels. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1996;93:14440–14445.
23.
Gobom J, Mueller M, Egelhofer V, Theiss D, Lehrach H, Nordhoff E: A calibration method that simplifies and improves accurate determination of peptide molecular masses by MALDI-TOF MS. Anal Chem 2002;74:3915–3923.
24.
Rodriguez-Perez R, Crespo JF, Rodriguez J, Salcedo G: Profilin is a relevant melon allergen susceptible to pepsin digestion in patients with oral allergy syndrome. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;111:634–639.
25.
Cuesta-Herranz J, Lazaro M, de las Heras M, Lluch M, Figueredo E, Umpierrez A, Hernandez J, Cuesta C: Peach allergy pattern: experience in 70 patients. Allergy 1998;53:78–82.
26.
Caballero T, Martin-Esteban M: Association between pollen hypersensitivity and edible vegetable allergy: a review. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 1998;8:6–16.
27.
Alemán A, Sastre J, Quirce S, de las Heras M, Carnés J, Fernández-Caldas E, Pastor C, Blázquez AB, Vivanco F, Cuesta-Herranz J: Allergy to kiwi: a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge study in patients from a birch-free area. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:543–550.
28.
Onishi Y, Kuroda M, Yasueda H, Saito A, Sono-Koyama E, Tunasawa S, Hashida-Okado T, Yagihara T, Uchida K, Yamaguchi H, Akiyama K, Kato I, Takesako K: Two-dimensional electrophoresis of Malassezia allergens for atopic dermatitis and isolation of Mal f 4 homologs with mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase. Eur J Biochem 1999;261:148–154.
29.
Posch A, Chen Z, Dunn MJ, Wheeler CH, Petersen A, Leubner-Metzger G, Baur X: Latex allergen database. Electrophoresis 1997;18:2803–2810.
30.
Rozynek P, Sander I, Appenzeller U, Crameri R, Baur X, Clarke B, Bruning T, Raulf-Heimsoth M: TPIS – an IgE-binding wheat protein. Allergy 2002;57:463.
31.
Hoppe S, Steinhart H, Paschke A: Identification of a 28 kDa lychee allergen as a triose-phosphate isomerase. Food Agric Immunol 2006;17:9–19.
32.
Egger M, Mutschlechner S, Wopfner N, Gadermaier G, Briza P, Ferreira F: Pollen-food syndromes associated with weed pollinosis: an update from the molecular point of view. Allergy 2006;61:461–476.
33.
Cuesta-Herranz J, Lázaro M, Martínez A, Figueredo E, Palacios R, De-Las-Heras M, Martínez J: Pollen allergy in peach-allergic patients: sensitization and cross-reactivity to taxonomically unrelated pollens. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104:688–694.
34.
Sankian M, Varasteh A, Pazouki N, Mahmoudi M: Sequence homology: a poor predictive value for profilins cross-reactivity. Clin Mol Allergy 2005;3:13.
35.
Radauer C, Willerroider M, Fuchs H, Hoffmann-Sommergruber K, Thalhamer J, Ferreira F, Scheiner O, Breiteneder H: Cross-reactive and species-specific immunoglobulin E epitopes of plant profilins: an experimental and structure-based analysis. Clin Exp Allergy 2006;36:920–929.
© 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel
2009
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.