[Allergy to vegetables belonging to the Solanaceae family].

BACKGROUND

Although cross-reactivity with other plant-based foods and latex has been described, allergies to potatoes and tomatoes are uncommon.

OBJECTIVE

To study the different sensitization patterns in patients who are allergic to potatoes and/or tomatoes.

METHODS

Skin prick tests were carried out with fresh foods and extracts, specific IgE determination and allergen detection by SDS-PAGE and IgE-Immunoblotting with both raw and heated potato and tomato extracts.

RESULTS

In 10 patients, two thermostable allergens to potato extract were detected; the first one with a molecular weight that is compatible with Sola t 1 (43 kDa, patatin) and the second one with a molecular weight of 14-22 kDa, which could correspond to the allergens Sola t 4 (16 kDa) and Sola t 2 and Sola t 3 (21 kDa); in two patients who are allergic to potatoes and two patients who are allergic to tomatoes, a thermostable allergen that is compatible to Sola I 2 (50 kDa) was detected. The patient had presented oral allergy syndrome with some types of potatoes and showed higher IgE reactivity to two thermostable potato allergens.

CONCLUSIONS

The allergen sensitization patterns were similar in all the patients that had been studied, regardless of the symptoms. A new allergen involved in the allergy to solanaceae plants has been detected.