title: Immunotherapy using algal-produced Ara h 1 core domain suppresses peanut allergy in mice.
abstract: Peanut allergy is an IgE-mediated adverse reaction to a subset of proteins found in peanuts. Immunotherapy aims to desensitize allergic patients through repeated and escalating exposures for several months to years using extracts or flours. The complex mix of proteins and variability between preparations complicates immunotherapy studies. Moreover, peanut immunotherapy is associated with frequent negative side effects and patients are often at risk of allergic reactions once immunotherapy is discontinued. Allergen-specific approaches using recombinant proteins are an attractive alternative because they allow more precise dosing and the opportunity to engineer proteins with improved safety profiles. We tested whether Ara h 1 and Ara h 2, two major peanut allergens, could be produced using chloroplast of the unicellular eukaryotic alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. C. reinhardtii is novel host for producing allergens that is genetically tractable, inexpensive and easy to grow, and is able to produce more complex proteins than bacterial hosts. Compared to the native proteins, algal-produced Ara h 1 core domain and Ara h 2 have a reduced affinity for IgE from peanut-allergic patients. We further found that immunotherapy using algal-produced Ara h 1 core domain confers protection from peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model of peanut allergy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shepley-McTaggart
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umpierrez
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Barry K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Hurlburt
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Soheila J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Maleki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Hugh A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Mayfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.|Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: M Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Berin
mesh_terms: D055516:2S Albumins, Plant / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010367:Arachis / Q000235:genetics*; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology; D016825:Chlamydomonas reinhardtii / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000235:genetics; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000737:chemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D030781:Organisms, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D021183:Peanut Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D055516:2S Albumins, Plant; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C500889:Ara h 1 protein, Arachis hypogaea; C500890:Ara h 2 allergen, Arachis hypogaea; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; algae; allergy; biotechnology; immunotherapy; peanut; recombinant protein