title: Food-cooking processes modulate allergenic properties of hen's egg white proteins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reducing the allergenicity of food allergens can suppress the clinical symptoms of food allergy. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of processing on the allergenic properties of hen's egg white proteins.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eggs were processed by traditional Chinese cooking, including steaming, water boiling, frying, spicing and tea boiling. The contents of processed egg protein were assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; the allergenicity was evaluated by Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzyme allergosorbent test inhibition. Circular dichroism spectrum analysis of four major egg allergens from various egg products was performed as well. A mouse model of food allergy was developed to test the allergenicity of processed egg protein in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Protein degradation was significant following tea boiling and spiced-tea boiling. The total allergenic potential of water-boiled egg and fried egg was relatively higher than that of steamed egg, spiced egg and tea-boiled egg. Challenge with proteins from raw egg, water-boiled egg and fried egg induced skewed T-helper 2 pattern responses (Th2 responses) in the intestine of mice sensitized to egg proteins; however, when the mice sensitized to egg proteins were challenged with proteins from steamed egg, spiced egg and tea-boiled egg, respectively, only weak Th2 responses were induced in their intestine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Processing by steaming, spicing, or tea boiling can weaken the allergenicity of egg proteins.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease for Allergy, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bai-Sui
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiumin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping-Chang
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D015549:Basophil Degranulation Test; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003296:Cooking; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004527:Egg Proteins