Prior Food-Induced Allergic Gut Inflammation Leading To Multiple Food
Allergies in C57Bl/6 Mice
Abstract
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Food allergies are usually managed by food
avoidance. Hidden allergens in food, due to cross-contamination and/or
allergenic additives added during production, place an important concern
in today’s increasing food allergy cases worldwide. Previous studies
showed that introduction of new food components, in an inflamed
intestine, results in sensitization to this food. Thus, our aim was to
evaluate the kinetics of multiple food allergy induction. METHODS: Adult
male C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups, four of which were
submitted to an intestinal inflammation induction protocol to peanuts.
Egg white (OVA) diluted 1:5 v/v in distilled water was instilled by
gavage 6h-before (EXP-1), concomitant (EXP-2) and 6h-after (EXP-3) the
onset of the peanut challenge diet. Positive control (POS CONT) and NEG
CONT received saline per gavage. Finally, animals were challenged with
subcutaneous injections of OVA. RESULTS: No changes in diet intake were
observed. Anti-OVA total IgG antibody titers significantly increased in
EXP-2. Flow cytometry revealed significant decrease in CD4+CD25+Foxp3+
and significant increase in TCD8+ in EXP-2. Histomorphometrically, EXP-2
and EXP-3 were classified as Infiltrative and Partial Destruction
stages. EXP-1 was classified as Infiltrative, while POS CONT was
classified as Partial Destruction. NEG CONT was classified as Normal.
CONCLUSION: The introduction of a new food only a few hours before the
initiation of a gut inflammation is able to induce oral tolerance,
however the introduction of a new dietary protein concomitant to the
onset or during an ongoing gut inflammation may induce multiple
allergies.