LC/MS analysis of proteolytic peptides in wheat extracts for determining the content of the allergen amylase/trypsin inhibitor CM3: Influence of growing area and variety

Food allergy from wheat is triggered by several protein classes, such as LTPs, ω5-gliadins and α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors. The latter proteins, belonging to the prolamin superfamily, are mostly involved in baker’s asthma, a form of occupational allergy in which the sensitization occurs through the respiratory tract. α-Amylase/trypsin inhibitors were also found to be involved in wheat-related atopic dermatitis. In this work, the allergen Tri a 30 (the CM3 α-amylase/trypsin inhibitor) was quantified in durum wheat salt soluble extracts using a peptidomic approach. CM3 protein identification was confirmed by using LTQ-OrbiTrap analysis on peptides obtained from the enzymatically digested protein separated by gel electrophoresis. Then, marker peptides derived from the protein after enzymatic cleavage of the full wheat extracts were identified by LC–MS/MS. One of them was used as marker for quantitative determination on an UPLC/ESI-MS system by using its isotopically labelled analogue as internal standard, allowing to assess the protein content in the different samples. The CM3 allergenic proteins were found to greatly vary among different cultivation areas.

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► The allergen Tri a 30 (CM3), an amylase/trypsin inhibitor, was identified in durum wheat samples.
► Marker peptides for CM3 were obtained through enzymatic digestion of the extracts.
► Isotopically labelled analogue of the marker peptides was synthesized.
► CM3 was quantified in durum wheat samples by the internal standard method.
► The influence of the different varieties and growing area on the allergen content was assessed.