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Food allergy animal models: an overview
1Allergy and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock 72202, USA. HelmRickiM@exchange.uams.edu
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|May 23, 2002
Summary
Understanding food allergies requires identifying why some proteins cause reactions. Current animal models are being evaluated to predict food allergenicity and improve diagnostics for allergic individuals.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Allergology
- Proteomics
Background:
- Food allergy involves IgE antibodies binding to mast cells and basophils.
- Re-exposure to allergens triggers mediator release, causing allergic reactions.
- The factors determining food protein allergenicity in susceptible individuals remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review animal models for profiling food allergens.
- To assess models for predicting the allergic potential of novel food proteins.
- To evaluate models for demonstrating human food allergic sensitization and response.
Main Methods:
- Review of animal models including mice, rats, guinea pigs, atopic dogs, and neonatal swine.
- Assessment of models for IgE production, clinical responses, and allergen potency ranking.
- Investigation of mechanistic and predictive models for protein allergenicity.
Main Results:
- No current animal model fully profiles known allergens, predicts novel protein allergenicity, or clinically demonstrates human sensitization.
- Various animal models are under investigation for their ability to model food allergy.
- These models are being assessed for IgE production, clinical responses, and allergen ranking.
Conclusions:
- Animal models are crucial for understanding food protein allergenicity.
- Ongoing research aims to develop predictive models for assessing novel protein allergenicity.
- Improved animal models are needed to advance food allergy diagnostics and treatment.