چکیده (انگلیسی):

IgE-mediated hypersensitivity refers to immune reactions that can be rapidly progressing and, in the case
of anaphylaxis, are occasionally fatal. To that end, identification of the associated allergen is important for
facilitating both education and allergen avoidance that are essential to long-term risk reduction. As the
number of known exposures associated with anaphylaxis is limited, discovery of novel causative agents
is crucial to evaluation and management of patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis. Within the last 10 years
several apparently separate observations were recognized to be related, all of which resulted from the
development of antibodies to a carbohydrate moiety on proteins. Interestingly, the exposure differed
from airborne allergens but was nevertheless capable of producing anaphylactic and hypersensitivity
reactions. Our recent work has identified these responses as being due to a novel IgE antibody directed
against a mammalian oligosaccharide epitope, galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (“alpha-gal”). This review
will present the historical summary of the identification of cetuximab hypersensitivity due to alpha-gal
IgE and discuss the non-primate mammalian meat food allergy as well as current goals and directions of
our research programs.