title: Low-dose gamma irradiation of food protein increases its allergenicity in a chronic oral challenge.
abstract: Few chronic food protein models have described the relationship between allergenicity and the molecular structure of food protein after physical processing. The effect of γ-radiation on the structure of food protein was measured by fluorescence, circular dichroism and microcalorimetry. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally sensitized and then given non-irradiated and irradiated Con-A by daily gavage for 28days. The tendency to form insoluble amorphous aggregates and partially unfolded species was observed after irradiation. The administration of non-irradiated and irradiated samples at low-dose significantly increased weight loss as well as plasma levels of eotaxin in animals repeatedly exposed to Con-A. Significant lymphocytic infiltrate filling completely the stroma of microvilli and tubular glands was observed in the small intestinal of the group given Con-A irradiated at a low dose. This phenotype was not observed in animals treated with Con-A irradiated at a high dose.
authors.affiliation: Unidade Acadêmica de Medicina Veterinária, CSTR, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil. melo_vaz@ig.com.br
authors.forename: A F M
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: A M M A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Silva-Lucca
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: M L V
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Cuccovia
authors.forename: M T S
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Correia
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008871:Microvilli / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D003208:Concanavalin A