Natural rubber latex protein

Abstract

Natural rubber latex (NRL), a milky fluid from the Hevea brasiliensis tree, is widelyused in several rubber product manufactures. However, an allergy is often found when people use rubber products. It may because of an allergen in rubber latex. There were reports that hundred proteins were classified into the groups of potential allergen and pathogenesis-related proteins (PR-proteins) which are induced proteins upon the stress, pathogen attack and abiotic stimuli. The proteins that similar to PR-proteins were currently identified into allergenic member including PR-proteins families 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 14 which are small proteins (5-70 kDa). In addition, 15% of these allergenic proteins were also classified into antioxidant member such as superoxide dismutase and peroxidase. These rubber protein component data can be used in the research and development of the production of rubber products to solve the allergenic problem and also to improve the rubber cultivar. Moreover, PR-proteins, antioxidant proteins and latex allergens activated proteins in rubber latex will be identified to get more information which will be the advantages in food, agricultural and medical materials.