Peanut allergy belongs to the food allergies which are not associated with aeroallergens. It permanently affects children as well as adults. Peanuts can cause IgE-mediated life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions of the immediate type. The identification and characterization of peanut allergens are preconditions for answering the question how the allergens, which interact with the gastrointestinal tract, are presented to the immune system. This would be an important contribution to the clarification of the pathomechanism of food allergy. The identification and characterization of peanut allergens are performed by electrophoresis/immunoblot techniques with patient IgE, monoclonal antibodies and the lectin ConA. Ara h 1 is identified by N-terminal sequencing of the whole molecule and LysC cleavage products. Ara h 1 is a ConA-reactive 66-kD glycoprotein which consists of a variety of isoallergens and isoforms. Peanut experiments mimicking digestion in the gastrointestinal tract clearly demonstrate the releasability of peanut allergens in the mouth and the resistance of Ara h 1 to degradation under treatment with artificial gastric fluid.
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W.M. Becker (2009) studied this question.