Profilin sensitisation in a Mediterranean population.

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Molecular Allergology

Background:

• Pan-allergen sensitisation, particularly to profilins, is crucial for understanding population-specific allergic profiles.
• Profilins are key pan-allergens implicated in widespread sensitisation, cross-reactivity, and co-sensitisation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the sensitisation profile to profilins.
• To correlate profilin sensitisation with food and pollen allergies.

Main Methods:

• Skin-prick testing of 654 patients with common allergens and profilin.
• Categorisation of patients into non-atopic, atopic with pollinosis, and atopic without pollinosis groups.
• Food challenges for symptomatic patients and detailed analysis of profilin sensitisation.

Main Results:

• Profilin sensitisation prevalence: 2.9% (respiratory allergy), 4.2% (atopic), 5.9% (pollen-sensitised).
• Positive association found between profilin and pollen (excluding Cupressus, olive), but not moulds, mites, or epithelia.
• Profilin sensitisation correlated with melon allergy and Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS).

Conclusions:

• Profilin sensitisation acts as a marker for pollen-related polysensitisation.
• Pan-allergen diagnosis is vital for effective allergy treatment selection.