Heat/non‐heat treatment alleviates β‐conglycinin‐triggered food allergy reactions by modulating the Th1/Th2 immune balance in a BALB/c mouse model

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2024-08, Vol.104 (11), p.6531-6540
• Main Authors: Li, Tanghao, Bu, Guanhao, Chen, Yixuan, Zhao, Qingqing, Chang, Yongfeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergenicity; Allergic reactions; Allergies; Animals; Antigens, Plant - chemistry; Antigens, Plant - immunology; BALB/c mice; Cell differentiation; Cell proliferation; Conglycinin; Cytokines - immunology; Cytokines - metabolism; desensitization mechanism; Differentiation; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Food allergies; food allergy; Food Hypersensitivity - immunology; Food industry; Food plants; Food sources; Globulins - administration & dosage; Globulins - chemistry; Globulins - immunology; Glycine max - chemistry; Heat treatment; Heat treatments; Hot Temperature; Humans; Hydrostatic pressure; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Oral administration; Protein sources; Protein structure; Proteins; Regulatory mechanisms (biology); Seed Storage Proteins - administration & dosage; Seed Storage Proteins - chemistry; Seed Storage Proteins - immunology; Soybean Proteins - chemistry; Soybean Proteins - immunology; Soybeans; Th1 Cells - drug effects; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th1-Th2 Balance - drug effects; Th1/Th2 immune balance; Th2 Cells - immunology; β‐conglycinin; γ-Interferon
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.13476

BACKGROUND With the increasing popularity of plant protein‐based diets, soy proteins are favored as the most important source of plant protein worldwide. However, potential food allergy risks limit their use in the food industry. This work aims to reveal the mechanism of β‐conglycinin‐induced food allergy, and to explore the regulatory mechanism of heat treatment and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment in a BALB/c mouse model. RESULTS Our results showed that oral administration of β‐conglycinin induced severe allergic symptoms in BALB/c mice, but these symptoms were effectively alleviated through heat treatment and HHP treatment. Moreover, β‐conglycinin stimulated lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation; a large number of cytokines interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐5, IL‐10, IL‐12 and IL‐13 were released and interferon γ secretion was inhibited, which disrupted the Th1/Th2 immune balance and promoted the differentiation and proliferation of naive T cells into Th2‐type cells. CONCLUSION Heat/non‐heat treatment altered the conformation of soybean protein, which significantly reduced allergic reactions in mice. This regulatory mechanism may be associated with Th1/Th2 immune balance. Our results provide data support for understanding the changes in allergenicity of soybean protein within the food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.