ABSTRACT Allium mongolicum Regel (AMR), a traditional edible and medicinal herb widely consumed in Asian cuisines, presents an important but understudied food safety concern due to its allergenic potential. This study bridges the gap between food science and health impacts by characterizing the first major allergen in AMR. Through an integrated approach combining transcriptome sequencing and immunological techniques, we identified glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as a novel food allergen. The recombinant GAPDH protein exhibited clinically relevant IgE reactivity in 48.1% (13/27) of allergic individuals' sera, establishing its role in food allergy. Notably, we demonstrated that this food‐derived allergen triggers distinct inflammatory pathways in human gastrointestinal (Caco‐2) and respiratory (BEAS‐2B) epithelial cells—key interfaces for food‐host interactions. Transcriptomic analysis revealed tissue‐specific responses: intestinal cells upregulated immunemodulatory genes (EPHB1, CD226, CD59), while lung cells activated interferon signaling, offering theoretical explanations for how dietary components may influence mucosal immunity. These findings significantly advance our understanding of herbal food allergies and pave the way for developing safer functional foods and targeted allergy management strategies.
Chen et al. (Sun,) studied this question.