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Updated: Oct 6, 2026
Removal and Replacement of Endogenous Ligands from Lipid-Bound Proteins and Allergens
Published on: February 24, 2021
Characterization of the major allergen of plum as a lipid transfer protein
E A Pastorello1, L Farioli, V Pravettoni
1Third Division of General Medicine, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, Milan, Italy. elidepa@box1.tin.it
Background:
Allergy to Prunoideae fruit (plum, peach, cherry and apricot) is one of the most frequent food allergies in southern Europe. All these fruits cross-react in vivo and in vitro, as they share their major allergen, a 9 kD lipid transfer protein (LTP).
Objective:
The aim of the study was the identification and molecular characterization of the major allergen of plum.
Methods:
The IgE pattern of reactivity to plums was investigated by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with the sera of 23 patients. The identified major allergen was purified by HPLC, using a cationic-exchange column followed by gel-filtration. Further characterization was achieved by periodic-Schiff stain, isoelectrofocusing and N-terminal amino acid sequencing.
Results And Conclusions:
The major allergen of plum is a 9 kD lipid transfer protein, not glycosylated and with a basic character (pI>9), highly homologous to the major allergen of peach.
