空气过敏原或吸入过敏原,蛋白质分散在空气中,有可能诱发过敏性疾病,如鼻炎,结膜炎,和哮喘。室外空气过敏原主要存在于花粉粒和真菌孢子中,是过敏原携带者。来自花粉和真菌的空气过敏原具有与植物授粉和真菌孢子形成相关的季节性排放模式,并且与大气天气条件密切相关。当过敏原携带者接触呼吸系统时,它们被释放,例如鼻粘膜。此外,由于过敏原携带者的破裂,空气中的过敏原分子可以以微颗粒和亚微米颗粒的形式直接释放到空气中(细胞质碎片,细胞壁碎片,液滴等。)或粘附在其他空气传播的颗粒物上。因此,空气过敏原检测策略必须考虑,除了过敏原携带者,过敏原分子本身。这篇综述文章旨在介绍户外环境中吸入性过敏原的最新知识,他们的结构,本地化,以及影响其生产的因素,改造,释放或降解。此外,列出了收集和定量气溶胶过敏原的方法,并进行了深入讨论。最后,知识差距,描述了与空气过敏原分析相关的挑战和影响。
Aeroallergens or inhalant allergens, are proteins dispersed through the air and have the potential to induce allergic conditions such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma. Outdoor aeroallergens are found predominantly in pollen grains and fungal spores, which are allergen carriers. Aeroallergens from pollen and fungi have seasonal emission patterns that correlate with plant pollination and fungal sporulation and are strongly associated with atmospheric weather conditions. They are released when allergen carriers come in contact with the respiratory system, e.g. the nasal mucosa. In addition, due to the rupture of allergen carriers, airborne allergen molecules may be released directly into the air in the form of micronic and submicronic particles (cytoplasmic debris, cell wall fragments, droplets etc.) or adhered onto other airborne particulate matter. Therefore, aeroallergen detection strategies must consider, in addition to the allergen carriers, the allergen molecules themselves. This review article aims to present the current knowledge on inhalant allergens in the outdoor environment, their structure, localization, and factors affecting their production, transformation, release or degradation. In addition, methods for collecting and quantifying aeroallergens are listed and thoroughly discussed. Finally, the knowledge gaps, challenges and implications associated with aeroallergen analysis are described.