Development of an adjuvant-free cashew nut allergy mouse model.
BACKGROUND
Cashew nut allergy is an emerging food allergy with a high risk of systemic anaphylaxis. Currently, an adjuvant-free animal model to study cashew nut allergy is not available.


METHODS
BALB/c mice were exposed to cashew nut protein using a transdermal sensitization protocol that does not use adjuvant. Systemic IgE antibody response, systemic anaphylaxis to oral challenge and allergen-driven, spleen-cell, type-2 cytokine responses were studied.


RESULTS
Transdermal exposure to cashew nut resulted in a significant dose-dependent allergic response. Oral challenge of sensitized mice with cashew resulted in severe signs of systemic anaphylaxis and a significant hypothermia. Spleen cell culture with cashew nut protein resulted in allergen-driven IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 responses only in sensitized but not in saline control mice.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate that (i) transdermal exposure to cashew nut protein elicits a robust IgE response leading to clinical sensitization of mice for systemic anaphylaxis to oral cashew nut challenge; (ii) cashew nut is a potent activator of type-2 cytokines, thus explaining the mechanism of cashew allergy, and (iii) this mouse model may be useful for further basic and preclinical studies on cashew nut allergy.
Parvataneni
Sitaram
S
Food Allergy and Immunology Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Nutritional Immunology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA.
Gonipeta
Babu
B
Tempelman
Robert J
RJ
Gangur
Venu
V
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D031021:Anacardium / Q000276:immunology*; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D021184:Nut Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000485:Allergens; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E