Delayed bacterial colonization of the gut alters the host immune response to oral sensitization against cow's milk proteins.

Scope: Cow's milk allergy is the most prevalent food allergy in infants whose immune system development is critically stimulated during postnatal gut colonization by commensal bacteria. Allergenic potential of cow's milk β-lactoglobulin (BLG) and caseins (CAS) was investigated in germ-free (GF) BALB/c mice and in GF mice conventionalized (CVd) at 6 weeks of age.

Methods And Results: Oral sensitization to cow's milk in the presence of cholera toxin led to higher BLG-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG2a responses in GF mice than in conventional (CV) mice.

Boiling peanut Ara h 1 results in the formation of aggregates with reduced allergenicity.

Scope: Roasting rather than boiling and Maillard modifications may modulate peanut allergenicity. We investigated how these factors affect the allergenic properties of a major peanut allergen, Ara h 1.

Methods And Results: Ara h 1 was purified from either raw (N-Ara h 1) or roasted (R-Ara h 1) peanuts.

Allergenic and immunogenic potential of cow's milk β-lactoglobulin and caseins evidenced without adjuvant in germ-free mice.

Scope: In most animal models of allergy, the development of an IgE response requires the use of an adjuvant. Germ-free (GF) mice exhibit Th2-polarized antibody responses combined with defective immunosuppressive mechanisms. The sensitizing potential of milk proteins was investigated in GF mice in the absence of adjuvant.

Effect of heating and glycation on the allergenicity of 2S albumins (Ara h 2/6) from peanut.

Background: Peanut allergy is one of the most common and severe food allergies, and processing is known to influence the allergenicity of peanut proteins. We aimed to establish the effect of heating and glycation on the IgE-binding properties and biological activity of 2S albumins (Ara h 2/6) from peanut.

Methodology/principal Findings: Native Ara h 2/6 was purified from raw peanuts and heated in solution (15 min, 110°C) in the presence or absence of glucose.