title: Oral tolerance induction does not resolve gastrointestinal inflammation in a mouse model of food allergy.
abstract: METHODS
  Oral immunotherapy (OIT) involving continuous oral administration of allergenic foods has gained attention as a therapy for food allergies. To study the influence of oral administration of allergenic foods on gastrointestinal symptoms including inflammation, we established a mouse model of food-induced intestinal allergy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BALB/c mice were fed an egg white (EW) diet containing ovalbumin (OVA, a major EW allergen) after intraperitoneal sensitisation with OVA and Alum. The mice on the EW diet for one wk presented gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e. weight loss and soft stools) and inflammation in the small intestines (i.e. duodenum, jejunum and ileum). Further continuous EW diet resolved the weight loss but not the soft stools. Splenic CD4(+) T-cells of EW diet-fed mice on the continuous diet showed less proliferation and cytokine production compared with those of control mice, suggesting tolerance induction by the diet. The continuous EW diet reduced levels of OVA-specific IgE antibodies, but significantly aggravated the inflammation in the jejunum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our mouse model would be useful to investigate inflammatory and regulatory mechanisms in food-induced intestinal allergies. Our results suggest potential gastrointestinal inflammation in patients undergoing OIT as continuous administration of allergenic foods, even though the therapy may induce clinical tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Junior Research Group 1 Experimental Allergology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul Ehrlich Strasse 59, Langen, Germany.
authors.forename: Manja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burggraf
authors.forename: Haruyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajima-Adachi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hachimura
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilchmann
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Pemberton
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiyono
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vieths
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toda
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004529:Egg White; D005260:Female; D005502:Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000009:adverse effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin