Relevance of IgE binding to short peptides for the allergenic activity of food allergens

Background: Analysis of IgE antibody binding to epitopes provides information for food allergy diagnosis and management and construction of hypoallergenic candidate vaccines, but the contribution of sequential epitopes to functionally relevant IgE binding is not fully understood. Objectives: We sought to study the impact of IgE-binding peptides described as major sequence epitopes in the literature on IgE-binding capacity of 2 selected food allergens. Methods: IgE-binding peptides of the food allergens Ara h 2 (peanut) and Pen a 1 (shrimp) were identified. Synthetic soluble peptides representing the identified sequences were assessed for their capacity to inhibit IgE binding to the parent allergens by means of ELISA and in mediator release assay. The IgE-binding capacity of unfolded recombinant (r) Ara h 2 was analyzed. A hybrid tropomyosin carrying the IgE-binding regions of Pen a 1 grafted into the structural context of the nonallergenic mouse tropornyosin was applied in ELISA inhibition experiments and ImmunoCAP analysis. Results: Although IgE-binding peptides representing sections of the allergen sequences were detected, no relevant capacity to inhibit the IgE binding to the parent allergen in ELISA or basophil activation test was observed. Unfolded rAra h 2 showed reduced IgE-binding capacity compared with folded rAra h 2 and failed to elicit mediator release. Hybrid tropomyosin bound less IgE than rPen a 1 in ImmunoCAP analysis and revealed marginal inhibitory capacity. Conclusion: Peptides identified as major sequence epitopes on Pen a 1 and Ara h 2 show little contribution to the IgE binding of the allergens studied. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;124: 328-36.)