ALLERGEN NOMENCLATURE
WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee
Financial contributions from IUIS, EAACI, and AAAAI

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Allergen Submissions to the Allergen Nomenclature Database

Download Allergen Submission Form (PDF, 540 KB)

  1. Investigators should download and complete the allergen submission form. This form should contain as much relevant information about the proposed new allergen as possible and may be accompanied by additional data (e.g. mass spectrometry, ELISA, Western blots, patient data). Ideally, the form should be submitted as soon as data on the allergen have been completed and prior to submitting the allergen for publication. The completed form should be submitted by e-mail to: Dr. Christian Radauer (christian.radauer@muv.ac.at).
  2. Please note the following requirements for submitted allergens candidates:
    1. IgE binding data must be obtained using sufficiently purified (natural or recombinant) allergens. Identifying IgE binding bands or spots on 1D or 2D Western blots will not be sufficient.
    2. The expression of the tested allergen in a tissue or organ that is relevant for human exposure must be demonstrated at the mRNA and/or protein level. Proof of protein expression is preferred and may also be provided by indirect methods, such as an inhibition assay in which binding of human IgE or a specific antibody to an extract is inhibited by the recombinant allergen. Detection of the mRNA should specifically show the expression of the isoallergen that was used for IgE testing.
    3. Submissions must include the (at least partial) sequence of the allergen, which must be accessible via a public sequence database such as NCBI or UniProt (access to database entries may be blocked until publication).
    4. IgE binding must be tested using sera from a sufficiently high number of patients allergic to the source of the allergen. Allergy must be diagnosed using common clinical standards (at least based on typical symptoms combined with confirmation of sensitization by skin test and/or specific IgE test).
    5. The proposed allergen should bind IgE from at least 5 of the tested sera. A lower number can only be accepted for allergens from sources to which allergic reactions are rare (e.g. occupational allergen sources) and for which it may be difficult to obtain a sufficiently high number of patients.
  3. At least two members of the Sub-Committee will review the submission and assess whether the allergen fulfills the molecular and immunological requirements for inclusion into the allergen nomenclature database. The reviewers will also check for homologies with other known allergens and for any ambiguities with named allergens. The review process will take approximately four weeks after the date of submission. The Sub-Committee may request additional information prior to deciding to grant (or deny) an allergen name. In some cases, the Sub-Committee may suggest that the allergen be renamed based on pre-existing data or homologies with previously named allergens.
  4. The chair of the Sub-Committee will notify investigators about the status of the proposed new allergen. If the allergen is deemed to fulfill the requirements, the investigators can use the new allergen name in publications, presentations, etc.
  5. Once the allergen name has been approved by the chair and the two primary reviewers, information about the allergen will be included in the Allergen Nomenclature Database at www.allergen.org.