Seafood allergy: Allergen, epitope mapping and immunotherapy strategy

Abstract

Seafoods are fashionable delicacies with high nutritional values and culinary properties, while seafood belongs to worldwide common food allergens. In recent years, many seafood allergens have been identified, while the diversity of various seafood species give a great challenge in identifying and characterizing seafood allergens, mapping IgE-binding epitopes and allergen immunotherapy development, which are critical for allergy diagnostics and immunotherapy treatments. This paper reviewed the recent progress on seafood (fish, crustacean, and mollusk) allergens, IgE-binding epitopes and allergen immunotherapy for seafood allergy. In recent years, many newly identified seafood allergens were reported, this work concluded the current situation of seafood allergen identification and designation by the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee. Moreover, this review represented the recent advances in identifying the IgE-binding epitopes of seafood allergens, which were helpful to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment for seafood allergy. Furthermore, the allergen immunotherapy could alleviate seafood allergy and provide promising approaches for seafood allergy treatment. This review represents the recent advances and future outlook on seafood allergen identification, IgE-binding epitope mapping and allergen immunotherapy strategies for seafood allergy prevention and treatment.

Keywords:

• Seafood allergy
• allergen
• allergenicity
• IgE-binding epitope
• allergen immunotherapy

Author contributions

Dr. Ziye Zhang (PhD) designed the manuscript, performed preliminary data analysis, composed the manuscript, and conducted the initial review. Dr. Xiu-Min Li (MD), Dr. Hong Lin (PhD), Hang Xiao (PhD) and Dr. Zhenxing Li (PhD) contributed critical feedback to the concept and design of the manuscript. Dr. Ziye Zhang (PhD), Dr. Xiu-Min Li (MD), Dr. Hao Wang (PhD), Dr. Hong Lin (PhD), Hang Xiao (PhD) and Dr. Zhenxing Li (PhD) revised the language and the final version of this manuscript.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest with others.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (32102091), Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (ZR2021QC086), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2021M693026), Shandong Provincial Postdoctoral Foundation Project (Innovation Project: 862105033022), and Qingdao Postdoctoral Applied Research Project (862105040045).