Widening sensitization spectrum through carbohydrate panepitopes--a hypothesis

H Malandain1

  • 1Laboratoire de Biochimie - Centre Hospitalier Chubert - 20, boulevard Guillaudot - 56017 Vannes, France.

Cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCD) differ from classical peptide epitopes because their cross-reactivity is not restricted to a protein family or domain. They can be considered as panepitopes. Antigen presenting cells (APC) express membrane receptors for IgE. APC-bound IgE are able to widen the patient's sensitization spectrum through cross-binding of allergens belonging to the same protein family or domain. In the case of carbohydrate panepitopes the same mechanism could induce a much larger array of new sensitizations than peptide epitopes can do.

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