What are the proteins in wheat that can cause allergies?

The major proteins are albumins, globulins, prolamins, and glutelins, but some people can be allergic to wheat pollen as well. In addition, breaking down the proteins found in wheat can create new, smaller proteins, and these can cause allergic symptoms as well.

Prolamins are closely related to glutelins. It was found in a study that prolamins are the most common cause of wheat allergies. Gliadins are a type of prolamin, and can cause the most severe form of wheat allergy. Gliadins, together with glutelins, can form gluten, which is important in Coeliac disease (covered later in this article). Wheat depended exercise induced anaphylaxis is caused by omega-5 gliadin. Glutelins are also common allergens, nine different subunits of low molecular weight glutelins have been identified.

There might be a genetic link relating to allergies to globulins or albumins. There are a number of enzymes and proteins which can induce an allergic reaction. These include amylase inhibitors (amylase is an enzyme that breaks down starch), trypsin inhibitors (trypsin is an enzyme that breaks down proteins), serine protease inhibitors (serine proteases are enzymes that break down proteins at a specific site), and lipid transfer proteins.

Some people (for example: bakers) can develop an occupational allergy to wheat or grass pollens. There are many different types of cereal grass that can cause allergies, and they can all cross-react (meaning someone who is allergic to wheat might also get a reaction to rye) because they are similar in structure. They include wheat, barley, cereal rye, durum wheat, rye grass, oats, canary grass, maize, rice, sorghum, and Johnson grass, but the highest level of cross reactivity is between wheat and rye. Allergies to pollen can result in wheezing, difficulty breathing, and symptoms similar to ha yfever (see the article “Hay fever” for more details)

Wheat Allergies Treatment Guide Index:



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