Insect allergens

Abstract

Insect allergens are broadly classified into three categories depending on the route of exposure: 1) by inhalation, 2) by biting, and 3) by contact. Cockroaches are known as representative allergens by inhalation, and Hymenoptera are known as representative allergens by bite. Cockroach antigens are important allergens for bronchial asthma.

Furthermore, Tropomyosin is a pan-allergen, shows cross-reactivity between cockroaches and crustaceans such as shrimp, and arthropods such as house dust mites, and has attracted attention in the fields of food allergy and sublingual immunotherapy.

Hymenoptera venoms contain a variety of allergens and is an important antigen responsible for anaphylaxis. Important toxins are broadly classified into two, honeybee venom and hornet, wasp venom. In honeybees, phospholipase A2 and melittin are the major allergens, and have little common antigenicity with other species of bee venom. On the other hand, the major antigens of the Vespidae family (Vespa genus and Polistes genus) are phospholipase A1 and antigen 5, and the same symptoms may be exhibited even when stung by different kinds of bees. Immunotherapy with bee venom extract has been performed for some time.