Alpha-Gal Syndrome: challenges to understanding sensitization and clinical reactions to alpha-gal.
Alpha-Gal Syndrome: challenges to understanding sensitization and clinical reactions to alpha-gal.
Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2020 Jul 05;:
Authors: de la Fuente J, Cabezas-Cruz A, Pacheco I
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The α-Gal syndrome (AGS) is a type of allergy characterized by an IgE antibody response against the carbohydrate Galα1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R (α-Gal). Tick bites are recognized as the most important cause of anti-α-Gal IgE antibody increase in humans. Several risk factors have been associated with the development of AGS, but their integration into a standardized disease diagnosis has proven challenging.
AREAS COVERED: Herein we discuss the current AGS diagnosis based on anti-α-Gal IgE titers and propose an algorithm that considers all co-factors in the clinical history of α-Gal-sensitized patients to be incorporated into the AGS diagnosis. The need for identification of host-derived gene markers and tick-derived proteins for the diagnosis of the AGS is also discussed.
EXPERT OPINION: The current AGS diagnosis based on anti-α-Gal IgE titers has limitations because not all patients sensitized to α-Gal and with anti-α-Gal IgE antibodies higher than the cut-off (0.35 IU/ml) develop anaphylaxis to mammalian meat and AGS. The basophil activation test proposed to differentiate between patients with AGS and asymptomatic α-Gal sensitization cannot be easily implemented as a generalized clinical test. In coming years,...
Source: Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics - Category: Laboratory Medicine Tags: Expert Rev Mol Diagn Source Type: research
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