Ovomucoid, Egg nGal d 1, f233

Egg white contains about 24 protein fractions and is considered highly allergenic. Gal d 1, also called ovomucoid, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of allergic reactions mediated by egg white.

Allergy component diagnostics is based on the detection of sensitization to allergens at the molecular level using natural highly purified and recombinant allergen molecules, i.e., their individual allergy components.

There are 3 main advantages of doing this analysis:

• Allergocomponent diagnostics makes it possible to differentiate true sensitization from sensitization due to cross-reactivity. This data will help determine the sources of allergies: one single allergy, several closely related ones, or many different ones.
• Molecular allergodiagnostics will eliminate the need for provocative tests and allow you to give clearer recommendations regarding the elimination of contact with allergens.
• Molecular allergodiagnostics is necessary in the selection of ASIT in persons with polyvalent (multiple) sensitization, the most accurate way to determine the most important allergen for which therapy will be performed.

The allergenic substance contains not one but several protein components that can act as allergens:

• Major allergen components are the main allergenic molecules, antibodies to which are found in more than half – 50% of patients in the population responding to this source. They are resistant to heat and more immunogenic. They are large in size and are contained in this allergen in larger quantities.
• Minor allergen components are secondary, smaller in size, and less immunogenic allergenic molecules that are usually contained in smaller amounts in the allergen, but are present in many different allergens, sometimes not closely related, providing cross-allergy. That is, allergens with a prevalence of more than 50% are called major allergens, and less than 10% are called minor allergens.

Eggs are considered one of the most common sources of food allergies, especially in infants and children, with a prevalence rate of 1.3 to 1.6%. However, the prevalence of egg allergy in adults is less than 0.25%.

Gal d 1 is the dominant allergen of the egg, highly allergenic and resistant to heat. Significant levels of specific IgE antibodies to Gal d 1 indicate a risk of developing clinical reactions to raw and cooked eggs. A low or undetectable level of IgE antibodies to Gal d 1 indicates tolerance to heat-treated eggs, for example, in cakes or pastries.

People with suspected egg allergies may experience allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis, gastrointestinal symptoms, skin reactions, and respiratory diseases after consuming egg white.

The analysis of the components helps in identifying children who are most likely to outgrow their egg allergy; monitoring the level of sIgE to Gal d 1 will further help determine the moment of tolerance development.