You are here:
RELATIVE POTENCY OF ORAL ANTIGENS IN PROVOKING FOOD ALLERGY IN THE MOUS
Citation:
BOWMAN, C. AND M. K. SELGRADE. RELATIVE POTENCY OF ORAL ANTIGENS IN PROVOKING FOOD ALLERGY IN THE MOUS. Presented at American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Meeting 2007, San Diego, CA, February 23 - 27, 2007.
Description:
Rationale: An animal model for food allergy is needed to test novel proteins produced through biotechnology for potential allergenicity. While the oral route is the most relevant method of exposure, oral tolerance is an impediment. We demonstrate that mice can distinguish allergens from non-allergens when exposed to foods orally with cholera toxin as an adjuvant, in contrast to parenteral exposure. Methods: C3H/HeJ mice were orally treated with 1, 2, or 5 mg of roasted peanut, egg white, or spinach extract, with or without cholera toxin, two or four times at weekly intervals. Extract-specific serum IgE, IgG1 and IgG were measured by ELISA and IgE functionality demonstrated via rat basophilic leukemia cell assay. Results: Differences among responses to allergens and non-allergens were greatest at low doses over a shorter dosing regimen. Peanut was the most potent antigen in eliciting allergic antibody responses, followed by egg white and spinach. Responses to egg white were greater than those to spinach when animals were exposed twice but not four times. No antibody production was observed in the absence of cholera toxin. Conclusions: Patterns of allergenicity in mice orally exposed to food extracts reflect those observed in humans, and also reflect differences in digestibility observed for these antigens. Differential responses to allergens and non-allergens depend on experimental parameters, with a lower dose and fewer exposures resulting in greater differences.
(This abstract does not reflect EPA policy.)