Microarrays of Recombinant Hevea brasiliensis Proteins: A Novel Tool for the Component-Resolved Diagnosis of Natural Rubber Latex Allergy

摘要

Background: Component-resolved diagnosis using microarray technology has recently been introduced in clinical allergology, but its applicability in patients with natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy has not been investigated.Objectives: To evaluate the utility of microarray-based immunoglobulin (Ig) E detection in the diagnostic workup of NRL allergy and to compare this new diagnostic tool with established methods of NRL-specific IgE detection.Methods: We investigated 52 adults with immediate-type NRL allergy and 50 control patients. Determination of specific serum IgE against 8 recombinant Hevea brasiliensis allergen components was performed using a customized allergen microarray and a conventional fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FEIA).Results: The panel of microarrayed allergen components was shown to represent a comprehensive repertoire of clinically relevant NRL proteins. NRL-specific IgE recognition patterns and sensitization rates determined by microarray analysis were similar to those obtained by conventional FEIA. The diagnostic sensitivity rates of combined single-component data were not significantly different for the respectiverecombinant test system, whereas the sensitivity level of extract-based FEIA analysis was markedly higher.Conclusion: The current study provides evidence that microarrays of recombinant NRL allergen components are a suitable new tool for the diagnosis of NRL-specific sensitization. They show performance characteristics comparable to those of current diagnostic tests and could be indicated in small children in whom only limited blood volumes are obtainable. Further large-scale studies in unselected patient populationsand in high-risk groups are warranted before the microarray can be introduced into routine management of patients with NRL allergy.Key words: Latex allergy. Hevea brasiliensis. Microarray. Component-resolved diagnosis.