Allergy, ABO Blood Group and Secretor Status

Pathology

See Also

• Allergens, Dietary
• Allergy
• Atopy
• Basophils and Mast Cells
• Histamine
• Immunoglobulin E
• Interleukin-4 (IL-4)
• Lectin

Discussion

There appear to be distinct differences between the blood types in the response to atopic allergy.

Dietary lectins have been shown to induce the production of Interleukin-4 which in turn activates IgE. (1) This perhaps explains why one of the more common benefits reported by those who follow the blood type food plans is an improvement in allergic manifestations, sinusitis and asthma. Many bacteria use lectins to attach to host tissue, and these lectins are some of the more highly allergenic parts of the organism. Many food lectins trigger IgE, including lectins found in bananas, chestnuts and avocadoes, all implicated in what has been termed 'Latex Fruit Allergies.' Other food lectins known also known to trigger IgE or Mast Cell degranulation are kiwi fruit. (2,3,4)

Lectins from pea, broad bean, lentil, jack bean, soybean, peanut, and wheat germ have been shown to bind directly with IgE and initiate Mast cell degranulation. Since mast cell degranulation results in the release of histamine, which can produce a feeling of fatigue or disorientation. (5,6,7}

Secretors tend to have higher levels of IgE than non-secretors. (8)

Blood type B tends to get pollen allergies more often than the other blood types; blood type O, a little bit less. (9)

In 239 German patients with atopic conditions (atopic dermatitis, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, and acute urticaria) the incidence of blood group antigens A and B was somewhat higher in patients than in controls. These observations are in accordance with the results of previous studies in other populations. (10)

In a study of 228 coal miners asthma was significantly related to nonsecretor phenotype (especially if they were blood type O) for which alchohol consumption was somewhat protective. Lower lung function was observed in blood group A, and in a lesser extent in blood group B (11)

Blood type B is associated with greater severity of chronic inflammatory diseases of the lungs. (12)

Asthma from chronic lung inflammation is also more common in type B. (13)

Although when stimulated with a strong allergen from occupational expsoure (in this case silk) bronchial asthma starts somewhat faster in blood group O frequently than in case of sensitizing with a weak allergen. (14)

In the course of studying patients affected with arthritic diseases and bronchial asthma a relationship with blood type O could be shown, whereas the patients affected with diabetes and asthma were more typically blood type A. (15)

A study looked at two respiratory diseases in a population of Georgians (16)

Markers for bronchial asthma and pollinosis showed that the risk for the development of severe bronchial asthma was higher in patients with blood type B, whereas in blood type O a mild to moderate degree of severity of was more characteristic.

In respiratory allergy, the group at greatest risk were those who were type O blood., whereas resistance to respiratory allergies was associated with blood type AB.

In cases of house dust allergy, type O individuals had higher levels of IgE synthesizing B-lymphocytes than A,B or AB; blood type A had significantly lower levels.

Blood group O/secretors (Se/Se) and O/Le(a-b-) were associated with childhood asthma, and may act as one of the predominant factors for environmental triggers of allergy for asthmatic children in Taiwan. (17)

References