Arachis hypogaea allergen 8 (Ara h 8) (Ara h 8)

Ara h 8 is a 17 kDa protein from the peanut (Arachis hypogaea) belonging to the Pathogenesis-Related protein family 10 (PR-10) (UniProt, 2024; ThermoFisher Scientific). It is a structural homolog of the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1, sharing approximately 48% sequence identity and a similar fold consisting of a seven-stranded beta-sheet and three alpha-helices (Hurlburt et al., 2013; PubMed). This homology is the primary cause of Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) in birch-pollen-sensitized individuals who react to peanuts (ThermoFisher Scientific). Biologically, Ara h 8 acts as a plant defense protein and a carrier for hydrophobic ligands such as flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, apigenin) and resveratrol (Hurlburt et al., 2013; NIH). Clinically, Ara h 8 is used in component-resolved diagnostics to distinguish between mild cross-reactivity and potentially life-threatening peanut allergy associated with Ara h 2 (AAAAI; Koppelman et al., 2004). While Ara h 8 is generally heat-labile and susceptible to gastric digestion, it is a component of peanut allergen extracts used in immunotherapy and its activity is modulated by anti-IgE biologics like omalizumab (NIH; ResearchGate).

Other names

PR-10 proteinBet v 1-homologous allergenArachis hypogaea 8f352

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (desensitization) and IgE neutralization