Abstract: Mango is an important cash crop in the tropical area of China. Mango flesh contains a wide range of functional components; however, consumption of mango fruits can result in hypersensitivity reactions which vary in terms of severity from person to person. This article presents a brief description of hypersensitivity reactions after eating mango fruits, such as contact dermatitis, oral allergy syndrome and cross-reactivity. Meanwhile, two distinct pathways for the development of hypersensitivity reactions after eating mango fruits are elucidated in detail, including allergens, different types of reactions and immune pathways in human body. Nine major allergen genes in mango fruits have been analyzed according to the Allergome database (http://www.allergome.org/). The structural domains of two of the major allergenic proteins, namely profilin and chitinase, have been determined. By evaluating the cross-reactivity of mango allergens, it was found that the amino acid sequences of allergens from different species share high homology, which determines the same IgE sensitization. This paper will provide new ideas and theoretical bases for selecting plants with reduced allergenicity and therefore preventing and treating allergic symptoms at the molecular level.

Key words: mango allergy, delayed hypersensitivity, immediate hypersensitivity, profilin, chitinase