BACKGROUND Proteins of hen egg whites are common ingredients in food and difficult to eliminate. Allergens of egg white induce allergic symptoms among relatively high numbers of patients suffering from food allergy. B cell epitopes to hen egg white major allergens have been reported. Considering that IgE antibody formation is mostly T cell dependent, the study of T cell epitopes is essential for both T cell dependent and independent IgE response. OBJECTIVE Little information on T cell epitopes recognizing food allergens has been reported. T cell responses to hen egg white allergens and two synthetic OA peptides located at amino acid residues No. 105-122 and 323-339 were investigated. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from hen egg allergic patients were investigated. Various allergens of hen egg white were used for stimulation. Primary proliferation responses were detected followed by the generation of long-term cultures which were examined for their specificity, phenotype, cytokine profile and IgE production. The allergen specific T cell lines were mapped using a panel of 13 synthetic peptides of ovalbumin. RESULTS Human T cells recognizing ovomucoid, lysozyme and ovalbumin epitope 105-122 are reported for the first time. The cell lines were enriched CD4+/CD8+ T cells (CD2+ > 95%). Ovomucoid and ovalbumin induced IgE synthesis by a small fraction of B cells (1%) present in the ovalbumin and ovomucoid specific T cell lines. CONCLUSIONS Human T cells recognized several egg white allergens and epitopes within the ovalbumin molecule. Specific IgE was produced in cultures stimulated with ovalbumin and ovomucoid. OA peptides 105-122 and 323-339 have no affinity to the specific IgE of the two patients; an observation which could be of particular interest regarding the mechanisms of peptide-based immunotherapy.