Allergy information for: Chickpea, garbanzo, bengal gram (Cicer arietinum )

  • Name: Chickpea, garbanzo, bengal gram
  • Scientific Name: Cicer arietinum
  • Occurrence: Chickpeas are generally eaten after cooking, often in a salad, although immature chickpeas are sometimes eaten raw. They can be ground into a paste called hummus for dips. Gram flour or besan is made by grinding chickpeas and is fried or baked to make falafel or farinatas. Chickpeas are often called chana (channa) or leblebi in Indian cuisine.
  • Allergy Information: Allergy to chickpea has been much less frequently reported than to peanut or soybean. The symptoms of chickpea allergic individuals are similar to those of other food allergies with urticaria (hives) and other reactions of the skin as the most common symptoms. Allergy to chickpea is associated with allergy to other legumes with allergy to lentil being the most frequently reported cross-reaction.
  • Other Information:
  • Taxonomic Information:

    NEWT http://www.ebi.ac.uk/newt/display?from=null&search=3827
  • Last modified: 18 October 2006

Reviews (0)

    References (0)

      Clinical History

      • Number of Studies:1-5
      • Number of Patients:21-50
      • Symptoms:

        A 7 year old girl patient showed contact urticaria to chickpea and anaphylaxis after eating chickpea (Kalogeromitros et al. 1996 [374]).

        Patil et al. (2001) [713] list symptoms for 31/41 DBPCFC/SPT positive patients as cutaneous 21/22, respiratory 18/25, Gastrointestinal 3/4, 1/2 rhinitis and anaphylaxis 1/1. Symptoms from history were similar to those on positive challenge.

      Skin Prick Test

      • Number of Studies:1-5
      • Food/Type of allergen:Patil et al. (2001) [713] desiccated and defatted flour with diethyl ether then extracted with PBS pH 8.0 in 50% glycerol (1:20 w/v) for 24 hrs. at 4 degrees C. Extracts centrifuged and filtered through 0.45 μM filter for SPT.
      • Protocol: (controls, definition of positive etc)Carried out by the scratch method. A 10 microlitre volume of legume extract each containing 22-25 microgram protein as applied. Histamine (1mg/ ml) served as positive control. The net wheal diameter was measured.
      • Number of Patients:Patil et al. (2001) [713] tested 59 patients with a history implicating chickpea from 1400 patients of whom 142 reporting food allergy.
      • Summary of Results:41/59 gave a positive SPT to chickpea (Patil et al. 2001 [713]).

      IgE assay (by RAST, CAP etc)

      • Number of Studies:0
      • Food/Type of allergen:Patil et al. (2001) [713] desiccated and defatted flour with diethyl ether then extracted with PBS pH 8.0 in 50% glycerol (1:20 w/v) for 24 hrs. at 4 degrees C. Extracts centrifuged and precipitated at 90% saturated ammonium sulfate and dialysed.
      • IgE protocol:Patil et al. (2001) [713] counted positive if the ELISA IgE was 5 times control values.
      • Number of Patients:

        Patil et al. (2001) [713] report ELISA on 41 SPT positive patients and 20 controls

        Clemente et al. (1999) [714] used sera from 6 patients

        Vioque et al. (1999) [232] used sera from 10 patients

      • Summary of Results:

        Patil et al. (2001) [713] found that 70, 64, 35, and 26 kDa proteins were major allergens. However, the ELISA results did not correlate well with the DBPCFC results. Only 23 patients showed IgE by ELISA.

        Dot blotting using sera from 10 chickpea-sensitive individuals gave positive reaction against chickpea 2S albumin (Vioque et al. 1999 [232]).

        Clemente et al. (1999) [714] found that immunoblots gave a typical pattern against 11S globulin with bands at 23 and 35-40 kDa. The 11S globulin is the major protein constituent in chickpea protein isolate.

      Immunoblotting

      • Immunoblotting separation:

        Clemente et al. (1999) [714] used 1D-SDS PAGE with a 20% polyacrylamide resolving gel (pH 8.8) and a 4% stacking gel (pH 6.8). Samples were solubilized with DTT and boiled in sample buffer with beta-mercaptoethanol.

        Patil et al. (2001) [713] used 1D-SDS PAGE with a 12.5% polyacrylamide resolving gel.

      • Immunoblotting detection method:

        Clemente et al. (1999) [714] electroblotted proteins onto 45 mm nitrocellulose membranes using a transblot apparatus (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Richmond, CA). Several membranes were stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue G 250 to check the transfer. The membranes were blocked by incubation with 5% defatted milk in TBS (20 mM Tris-HCl, 0.05 M NaCl, pH 7.5) for 2 h. The membranes were washed three times with TTBS (0.05% Tween 20 in TBS) for 15 min each and incubated with sera (1:1000 v/v dilution) overnight at 4°C. After 3 washes with TTBS, alkaline phosphatase-conjugate mouse antihuman IgE (1:1000 v/v in TTBS) was added and incubated at room temperature for 2 h. The membranes were then washed twice with TTBS and once with 1 M borate buffer (pH 8.3). Allergens were revealed with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate/nitroblue tetrazolium.

        Patil et al. (2001) [713] transfered proteins onto nitrocellulose membranes. Extra sites were blocked by BSA

      • Immunoblotting results:

        Patil et al. (2001) [713] found that 70, 64, 35, and 26 kDa proteins were major allergens.

        Dot blotting using sera from 10 chickpea-sensitive individuals gave positive reaction against chickpea 2S albumin (Vioque et al. 1999 [232]).

        Clemente et al. (1999) [714] found that immunoblots gave a typical pattern against 11S globulin with bands at 23 and 35-40 kDa. The 11S globulin is the major protein constituent in chickpea protein isolate.

      Oral provocation

      • Number of Studies:1-5
      • Food used and oral provocation vehicle:Defatted chickpea powder
      • Blind:Yes
      • Number of Patients:Patil et al. (2001) [713] tested 59 patients with a history implicating chickpea from 1400 patients of whom 142 reporting food allergy.
      • Dose response:Not reported
      • Symptoms:Patil et al. (2001) [713] found 31/59 patients gave a positive DBPCFC. Symptoms included rhinorhea, wheezing, fainting, facial angioedema.

      IgE cross-reactivity and Polysensitisation

      Kalogeromitros et al. 1996 [374]) reported reaction to both lentil and chickpea. Similarly Pascual et al. 1999 [148] found that 6/22 lentil allergic patients also showed allergic reactions to chick peas, suggesting some degree of clinical cross-reactivity. Patil et al. (1997) [160] reported cross-reaction between chickpea and fenugreek in two patients.

      Other Clinical information

      Several cases of asthma or allergy by inhalation of chickpea from cooking have been reported (Martin et al. 1992 [716]; Kalogeromitros et al. 1996 [374]; Roberts et al. 2002 [715])

      Reviews (0)

        References (9)

        • Vioque J, Sanchez-Vioque R, Clemente A, Pedroche J, Bautista J, Millan F.
          Purification and partial characterization of chickpea 2S albumin.
          J Agric Food Chem 47: 1405-1409.. 1999
          PUBMEDID: 10563989
        • Pascual CY, Fernandez-Crespo J, Sanchez-Pastor S, Padial MA, Diaz-Pena JM, Martin-Munoz F, Martin-Esteban M.
          Allergy to lentils in Mediterranean pediatric patients.
          J Allergy Clin Immunol. 103:154-158.. 1999
          PUBMEDID: 9893199
        • Martin JA, Compaired JA, de la Hoz B, Quirce S, Alonso MD, Igea JM, Losada E.
          Bronchial asthma induced by chick pea and lentil.
          Allergy 47(2 Pt 2): 185-187.. 1992
          PUBMEDID: 1514671
        • Roberts G, Golder N, Lack G
          Bronchial challenges with aerosolized food in asthmatic, food-allergic children
          ALLERGY 57 (8): 713-717. 2002
          PUBMEDID: 12121190
        • Clemente A, Vioque J, Sanchez-Vioque R, Pedroche J, Millan F.
          Production of extensive chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) protein hydrolysates with reduced antigenic activity.
          J Agric Food Chem. 47(9): 3776-3781.. 1999
          PUBMEDID: 10552721
        • Kalogeromitros MD, Armenaka MD, Galatas I, Capellou O, Katsarou A
          Anaphylaxis induced by lentils.
          Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 77:480-482.. 1996
          PUBMEDID: 8970438
        • Patil SP, Niphadkar PV, Bapat MM
          Allergy to fenugreek.
          Ann Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 78: 297-300.. 1997
          PUBMEDID: 9087156
        • Niphadkar PV, Patil SP, Bapat MM.
          Chickpea induced anaphylaxis.
          Allergy 52: 115-6.. 1997
          PUBMEDID: 9062643
        • Patil SP, Niphadkar PV, Bapat MM.
          Chickpea: a major food allergen in the Indian subcontinent and its clinical and immunochemical correlation.
          Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 87(2): 140-145.. 2001
          PUBMEDID: 11527247

        Biochemical Information for 11S storage protein

        • Allergen Name:11S storage protein
        • Alternatve Allergen Names:
        • Allergen Designation:
        • Protein Family:11S seed storage globulin, cupin, Pfam PF00190
        • Sequence Known?:No
        • Allergen accession No.s:Not known
        • 3D Structure Accession No.:Not known
        • Calculated Masses:

          Not known

        • Experimental Masses:23 and 35-40 kDa
        • Oligomeric Masses:

          Hexamer

        • Allergen epitopes:Not known
        • Allergen stability:
          Process, chemical, enzymatic:          Clemente et al. (1999) [714] studied proteolysis of their preparation showing that > 90% of IgE binding could be removed by sequential digestion with two enzymes.
        • Nature of main cross-reacting proteins:Not known
        • Allergen properties & biological function:Probably a hexameric seed storage protein. These are cleaved into two disulphide linked subunits of approximately 20 kDa and 40 kDa before forming the hexamer.
        • Allergen purification:The 11S globulin has been parially purified by Sanchez-Vioque et al (1999) [720] in two forms by either alkaline extraction with sodium sulphite at pH 10.5, precipitation at pH 4.3 followed by washing with ethanol and acetone or alkaline extraction at pH 12.0 and precipitation at pH 4.3. Gel filtration showed that the extraction at pH 10.5 gave a peak at Mr of 216 kDa (compared to 61 kDa for pH 12.0). SDS-PAGE gave a single band at 23kDa and a triplet at 35-40 kDa.
        • Other biochemical information:

        References (3)

        • Sanchez-Vioque R, Clemente A, Vioque J, Bautista J, Millan F
          Protein isolates from chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): chemical composition, functional properties and protein characterization
          FOOD CHEMISTRY 64 (2): 237-243. 1999
          PUBMEDID:
        • Patil SP, Niphadkar PV, Bapat MM.
          Chickpea: a major food allergen in the Indian subcontinent and its clinical and immunochemical correlation.
          Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 87(2): 140-145.. 2001
          PUBMEDID: 11527247
        • Clemente A, Vioque J, Sanchez-Vioque R, Pedroche J, Millan F.
          Production of extensive chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) protein hydrolysates with reduced antigenic activity.
          J Agric Food Chem. 47(9): 3776-3781.. 1999
          PUBMEDID: 10552721

        Biochemical Information for 2S albumin

        • Allergen Name:2S albumin
        • Alternatve Allergen Names:
        • Allergen Designation:Major
        • Protein Family:
        • Sequence Known?:No
        • Allergen accession No.s:N/A
        • 3D Structure Accession No.:Not determined
        • Calculated Masses:N/A
        • Experimental Masses:

          10 and 12 kDa SDS-PAGE
          20 kDa Gel filtration

        • Oligomeric Masses:Not known
        • Allergen epitopes:Not known
        • Allergen stability:
          Process, chemical, enzymatic:          The 2S albumin of chickpeas acts as a trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor (Vioque et al. 1999 [232]) and it is possible that the presence of the disulfide linkages protect it against enzymatic attack as found for Sin a 1 (Gonzalez de la Pena et al, 1996 [61]). It is also heat and acid stabile.
        • Nature of main cross-reacting proteins:

          Not known

        • Allergen properties & biological function:The physiological and functional roles of 2S albumins is unclear. Some (e.g. pea or rape seed 2S albumin) including chickpea 2S albumin, have anti-protease activity but many believe the 2S albumins function as seed storage proteins. The amino acid composition of 2S albumin is known, but the sequence has yet to be determined (Vioque J et al. 1999) . It is composed of two peptides (10 kDa +12 kDa) linked by an interchain disulfide bond.
        • Allergen purification:Chickpea flour is extracted with 0.1 M borate buffer pH 8.3 (1:10 w:v). After centrifugation at 8000xg and dialysis against 25mM sodium citrate buffer pH 4.6 (1:10 v:v) and the precipitated proteins collected ('total albumins'). The extracted albumins were then lyophilised and taken up in 60% (v/v) methanol in which only the 2S albumin is soluble. Proteins soluble in the methanol were concentrated by lyophilization and then purification by ion exchange chromatography on a Mono Q HR5/5 column in 0.05M Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, and eluted with a linear 0.0-0.5M NaCl gradient (Singh et al 1988 [200]; Vioque et al 1999 [232]).
        • Other biochemical information:

        References (7)

        • Metcalfe DD
          Food allergens.
          Clin Rev Allergy 3: 331-349.. 1985
          PUBMEDID: 3893676
        • Gonzalez De La Pena MA, Monsalve RI, Batanero E, Villalba M, Rodriguez R.
          Expression in Escherichia coli of Sin a 1, the major allergen from mustard.
          Eur J Biochem 237: 827-832.. 1996
          PUBMEDID: 8647131
        • Valdivieso R, Quirce S, Sainz T.
          Hypersensitivity to Lathyrus sativus.
          Allergy 50S: 230.. 1995
          PUBMEDID:
        • Vioque J, Sanchez-Vioque R, Clemente A, Pedroche J, Bautista J, Millan F.
          Purification and partial characterization of chickpea 2S albumin.
          J Agric Food Chem 47: 1405-1409.. 1999
          PUBMEDID: 10563989
        • Singh DK, Rao AS, Singh R, Jambunathan R
          Amino acid composition of storage proteins of promising chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) cultivar.
          J Sci Food Agric 43: 373-379.. 1988
          PUBMEDID:
        • Pascual CY, Fernandez-Crespo J, Sanchez-Pastor S, Padial MA, Diaz-Pena JM, Martin-Munoz F, Martin-Esteban M.
          Allergy to lentils in Mediterranean pediatric patients.
          J Allergy Clin Immunol. 103:154-158.. 1999
          PUBMEDID: 9893199
        • Patil SP, Niphadkar PV, Bapat MM
          Allergy to fenugreek.
          Ann Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 78: 297-300.. 1997
          PUBMEDID: 9087156