Hydrolysed wheat proteins present in cosmetics can induce immediate hypersensitivities

Abstract

Cosmetics containing hydrolysed wheat proteins (HWP) can induce rare but severe allergic reactions. 9 patients, all females without common wheat allergy, but with contact urticaria to such cosmetics, were studied. 6 of them also experienced generalized urticaria or anaphylaxis to foods containing HWP. All patients had low to moderate levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)E specific of wheat flour (f4) or gluten (f79). Their sensitivity to HWP and their tolerance to unmodified wheat proteins extracted from grains were confirmed using skin tests. Immunoblotting analyses showed that IgE from all patients reacted with almost all HWP tested. Reactions generally occurred with large random peptide aggregates. IgE reacted also with unmodified grain proteins, which contrasted with skin tests results. They reacted always with salt soluble proteins but variably with gluten proteins. No reaction occurred with gliadins in patients without associated immediate hypersensitivity to food containing HWP. These results show the role of hydrolysis on the allergenicity of wheat proteins, both through skin or digestive routes. At least part of the epitopes involved is pre-existing in unmodified wheat proteins. The aggregation of peptide bearing these epitopes and others created by hydrolysis, along with the increased solubility and the route of exposure, are possible factors of the allergenicity of HWP.

Anaphylactic augmentation by epicutaneous sensitization to acid-hydrolyzed wheat protein in a guinea pig model

“…Certain food proteins have long been recognized as triggers for this potentially fatal allergic response. Recent reports have described the activation of immediate-type hypersensitivity by proteins formulated in cosmetics, hair-care products, and facial soap (Amaro and Goossens, 2008;Fukutomi et al, 2011;Laurière et al, 2006). Anaphylaxis elicited by hydrolyzed wheat protein (HWP) has been a particularly important problem in the Japanese population (Chinuki et al, 2011;Chinuki and Morita, 2012;Fukutomi et al, 2011).…”

Hypoallergenicity and Immunological Characterization of Enzyme-Treated Royal Jelly from Apis mellifera

“…It has been demonstrated in another study that hydrolysis of wheat proteins by acid or protease in cosmetics could induce immediate hypersensitivity. 26) These results suggest that intramolecular antigenic epitopes of intact wheat proteins had probably been exposed by the inadequate hydrolysis.…”

“…23,24) However, hydrolysis of the proteins by acid or protease could also increase the allergenicity and antigenic epitopes; it has been reported that inadequate hydrolysis of wheat proteins increased the antigenicity of the serum antibodies obtained from patients with wheat allergy. [25][26][27] The purpose of this present study is to demonstrate that the antigenicity does not increase in protease-treated RJ. We therefore hydrolyzed RJ proteins by using y To whom correspondence should be addressed.…”

The prevalence of wheat and spelt sensitivity in a randomly selected Australian population

“…Two of these disorder types, the autoimmune and the allergic disorders are relatively well described, however, further studies are needed to reveal mechanisms related to the diverse symptoms of allergic reactions. The autoimmune disorders include celiac disease (Anderson and Wieser 2006) gluten athaxia and dermatitis herpetiformis (Laurière et al 2006). The allergic reactions involve respiratory allergy (Amano et al 1998), food allergy (Mills et al 2004), wheat-dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis (Armentia et al 1990) and contact urticaria.…”