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V Sabato,1,2 AJ van
Hengel,3 KJ De Knop,1 MM Verweij,1
MM Hagendorens,4 CH Bridts,1 LS De
Clerck,1 D Schiavino,2 WJ Stevens,1
DG Ebo1 |
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1Faculty of Medicine, Department of
Immunology, Allergology, Rheumatology, University of
Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
2Faculty of Medicine, Department of Allergology,
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
3European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute
for Reference Materials and Measurements, Geel, Belgium
4Faculty of Medicine, Department of Paediatrics,
University Hospital Antwerp, University of Antwerp,
Antwerpen, Belgium |
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Abstract |
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Introduction:
The impact of
processing on the
allergenicity of
peanut (Arachis
hypogaea) proteins
has traditionally
been studied using
immunoglobulin (Ig)
E binding assay.
However, as this
technique does not
assess the potential
of an allergen to
trigger basophils
and mast cells,
studies based on it
can hardly be
considered complete.
We evaluated the
effect of processing
on peanut
allergenicity using
flow-cytometric
quantifi cation of
in vitro basophil
activation (basophil
activation test
[BAT]).
Patients and
Methods:
Basophils from 10
patients with severe
peanut allergy and 3
peanut-tolerant
individuals were
stimulated with
extracts from 5 raw
and thermally
processed peanut
varieties. Data were
compared using
protein staining
(sodium dodecyl
sulfate-polyacrylamide
gel electrophoresis
[SDS-PAGE]) and IgE
immunoblotting.
Results:
Stimulation with
different extracts
resulted in
patient-dependent
and
variety-dependent
effects on basophil
activation. SDS-PAGE
revealed a
considerable loss of
identifiable bands,
especially for the
South Africa Common
Natal, Argentina
Runner, and US
Virginia varieties.
The results of IgE
immunoblotting in
patients were
similar,
irrespective of the
responses observed
in the BAT.
Conclusions:
The impact of
thermal processing
on the capacity of
peanuts to trigger
basophils seems
highly divergent
between patients and
cannot be predicted
using SDS-PAGE or
IgE binding. BAT can
be considered a
complementary tool
for the evaluation
of food
allergenicity.
Key words:
Peanut allergy.
Peanut processing.
Basophil activation
test. Allergy
diagnosis.
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