Evaluation of the sensitizing potential of food proteins using two mouse models.
The current methodology to identify allergenic food proteins is effective in identifying those that are likely to cross-react with known allergens. However, most assays show false positive results for low/non-allergens. Therefore, an ex vivo/in vitro DC-T cell assay and an in vivo mouse model were used to distinguish known allergenic food proteins (Ara h 1, β-Lactoglobulin, Pan b 1, bovine serum albumin, whey protein isolate) from low/non allergenic food proteins (soy lipoxygenase, gelatin, beef tropomyosin, rubisco, Sola t 1). CD4+ T cells from protein/alum-immunized mice were incubated with corresponding protein-pulsed bone marrow-derived DC and analyzed for cytokine release. All known allergens induced Th2 responses in vitro, whereas soy lipoxygenase, gelatin or beef tropomyosin did not. Sola t 1 and rubisco induced a more generalized T cell response due to endotoxin contamination, indicating the endotoxin-sensitivity of the DC-T assay. To analyze responses in vivo, mice were orally sensitized on days 0 and 7. Known allergens induced IgE and mMCP-1 release upon oral challenge at day 16, whereas the low/non-allergens did not. Both the DC-T cell assay and the mouse model were able to distinguish 5 known allergens from 5 low/non-allergens and may be useful to identify novel allergenic food proteins.
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Utrecht Center for Food Allergy, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.j.smit@uu.nl.
Joost
J
Smit
Utrecht Center for Food Allergy, Utrecht, The Netherlands; TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands.
Mary-Lène de
ML
Zeeuw-Brouwer
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Utrecht Center for Food Allergy, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Manon
M
van Roest
Utrecht Center for Food Allergy, Utrecht, The Netherlands; TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands.
Govardus
G
de Jong
Utrecht Center for Food Allergy, Utrecht, The Netherlands; TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands.
Jolanda
J
van Bilsen
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000485:Allergens; C491768:Ccl2 protein, mouse; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
Allergenic proteins; Allergenicity; Dendritic cells; Food allergy; Mouse models; Sensitization; T cells