Abstract
In order to compare the allergenic and taxonomical relationships of fishes, we assayed specific IgE antibodies to 39 strains of fishes (9 orders, 24 families, 31 genera, 38 species) using 41 sera from fish-allergic subjects and calculated correlation coefficients (CCs) of relationship between IgE antibody titers to fishes. There were statistically positive correlations among every combination of IgE-binding activity to fishes, but the CCs were in the wide range of 0.41 to 0.95. There was no significant difference in the CCs among fishes between the same (mean=0.77, range; 0.48-0.96) and the different (0.77, 0.41-0.95) orders. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in the CCs between the same and the different groups in genus as well as in families.
The results of RAST inhibition were consistent with the correlation of IgE antibodies to fishes rather than biological classification of fishes. In conclusion it was suggested that the relationship of fishes based on the IgE-binding activity was not necessarily in agreement with the taxonomical classification.
