Research for FABER^®

---

• The FABER implementation exploits the combined expertise in protein biochemistry of a CNR research group at IBBR-Naples, coordinated by Maria Antonietta Ciardiello and Maurizio Tamburrini, and that in molecular and clinical allergology of the CAAM (www.caam-allergy.com/en/chi-siamo) allergologists coordinated by Adriano Mari.
• The CNR researchers involved in this project have been studying allergenic proteins from many sources, especially from foods, for many years. This research activity is still ongoing and has led to the identification and characterization of many new allergens. Some of these have already been registered in the UniProtKB database and/or registered in the official database of the World Health Organization and International Union of Immunological Societies (WHO/IUIS, www.allergen.org/). As an example, the kiwifruit allergens Act d 5, Act d 6, Act d 7, Act d 10 and Act d 11 have been identified at IBBR and officially registered by WHO/IUIS. Some allergens belonging to the Lipid Transfer Protein (LTP) family, reported to cause serious allergic reactions, have also been identified in tomato, kiwifruit, pomegranate and mulberry. In addition, a new family of allergenic proteins (gibberellin-regulated proteins, GRP), involved in the induction of severe allergic symptoms, has been identified and the first components have been isolated from peach and pomegranate and registered as Pru p 7 and Pun g 7. As a result, many characterized allergens, not found on the market and therefore absent from other allergy test systems, have instead been made available for the FABER test by IBBR. This feature allows FABER to produce additional allergy diagnoses compared with other test systems.
• The FABER test can be progressively updated as new knowledge in the field of molecular allergology is acquired. As research on allergens is always ongoing at IBBR, new allergens are continuously being identified and transferred onto the FABER biochip. FABER is a flexible system and therefore it can easily be extended in terms of the number of allergens when additional ones are available for diagnosis.
• The allergens to be spotted on the FABER biochip are first conjugated to chemically activated nano-beads at IBBR. For each allergen the best conjugation method is investigated, selected and then applied in order to obtain the best results in terms of the yield and immunological function of the molecules.

FABER^© for research

• FABER is also a very useful tool for research purposes. For instance, it can contribute to the identification of new allergens, investigation of the immunological features of new allergens and acquisition of additional information on allergens which are still poorly characterized. In fact, customized experimental biochips can be produced where allergens under investigation can be spotted and analyzed with selected human sera.
• The system can be used to study antigenic epitopes and to analyze cross-reactivity between homologous allergens from different sources.
• FABER allows the analysis of the potential allergenicity of food products, both raw or processed, using an immunological methodology based on the SPHIAa (Single Point Highest Inhibition Achievable assay) test applied to the FABER system. The analysis of the results obtained will provide the allergen profile of the product under investigation.
• The allergy diagnostic results obtained with the FABER test are all collected and stored in the INTERALL database (www.caam-allergy.com). They represent a huge source of scientific data allowing epidemiological analysis at a global level.
• FABER can be exploited to monitor the development of different processes, such as the effects of climate change on living organisms, by monitoring the variations in allergic sensitizations. In fact, it is well known that environmental factors can affect the biology and migration of organisms such as plants, animals, insects, mites. This migration may cause an exposure to different amounts or types of sensitizing sources, thereby inducing new allergies to foods and inhalants. For instance, global warming and CO₂ have been reported to increase the growth and duration of some plants producing allergenic pollens which persist in the air for longer periods.
• FABER has the appropriate characteristics and the necessary flexibility to monitor the evolution, deriving from environmental pressures, of the sensitization of allergic populations. The identification of new allergies, or new trends of sensitization, can make available a number of very sensitive and specific markers useful for the monitoring of changes, even those not very evident, in the diffusion and biology of plants and animals.

  Back