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Animal Lipocalin Allergens

  • ALLERGENS (RK BUSH, SECTION EDITOR)
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Abstract

Lipocalins represent the most important group of inhalant animal allergens. For some of them, three-dimensional protein structures have been resolved, but their functions are still elusive. Lipocalins generally display a low sequence identity between family members. The characterization of new lipocalin allergens has revealed however that some of them display a high sequence identity to lipocalins from another species. They constitute a new group of potentially cross-reactive molecules which, in addition to serum albumins, may contribute to allergic cross-reactions between animal dander of different species. However, the clinical relevance of cross-reactivity needs to be assessed. Further studies are needed to understand which of these animal lipocalins are the primary allergens and which are cross-reacting molecules. The use of single, well characterized allergens for diagnosis will allow the identification of the sensitizing animal, which is a prerequisite for specific immunotherapy.

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Acknowledgment

Projects of C.H. and A.K. are supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research of Luxembourg. The authors thank Arnaud Müller for his assistance on the lipocalin alignment figure.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Allergology, CRP-Santé, 84, Val Fleuri, 1526, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

    Christiane Hilger, Annette Kuehn & Francois Hentges

  2. National Unit of Immunology-Allergology, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, 4, rue Barblé, 1210, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

    Francois Hentges

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  1. Christiane Hilger
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Correspondence to Christiane Hilger.

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Hilger, C., Kuehn, A. & Hentges, F. Animal Lipocalin Allergens. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 12, 438–447 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-012-0283-2

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