title: Ara h 2 cross-linking catalyzed by MTGase decreases its allergenicity.
abstract: Peanuts, whose major allergen is Ara h 2, are included among the eight major food allergens. After reduction using dithiothreitol (DTT), cross-linking of Ara h 2 could be catalyzed by microbial transglutaminase (MTGase), a widely used enzyme in the food industry. In this study, Ara h 2 cross-linking was catalyzed by MTGase after it was reduced by DTT. Using mass spectrometry and PLINK software, five cross-linkers were identified, and five linear allergen epitopes were found to be involved in the reactions. The IgE binding capacity of cross-linked Ara h 2 was found to be significantly lower compared to that of native and reduced Ara h 2. After simulated gastric fluid (SGF) digestion, the digested products of the cross-linked Ara h 2, again, had a significantly lower IgE binding capacity compared to untreated and reduced Ara h 2. Furthermore, reduced and cross-linked Ara h 2 (RC-Ara h 2) induced lower sensitization in mice, indicating its lower allergenicity. Reduction and MTGase-catalyzed cross-linking are effective methods to decrease the allergenicity of Ara h 2. The reactions involved linear allergen epitopes destroying the material basis of the allergenicity, and this might develop a new direction for protein desensitization processes.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com and Sino-German Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China.
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5988-3643
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com and School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com and School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
authors.forename: Ruifang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com and School of Environment & Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com and School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com and Sino-German Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China.
authors.forename: Anshu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China. wuzhihua@ncu.edu.cn chbgjy@hotmail.com and Sino-German Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China.
authors.forename: Hongbing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D055516:2S Albumins, Plant / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D010367:Arachis; D055162:Biocatalysis; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D055516:2S Albumins, Plant; D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C500890:Ara h 2 allergen, Arachis hypogaea; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D011503:Transglutaminases; D004229:Dithiothreitol