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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #310692
Title: Treatment with oleic acid reduces IgE binding to peanut and cashew allergens

Author
item Chung, Si Yin
item Mattison, Chris
item Reed, Shawndrika
item WASSERMAN, RICHARD - Allergy/immunology Research Center Of North Texas
item Desormeaux, Wendy

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/2015
Publication Date: 3/9/2015
Citation: Chung, S., Mattison, C.P., Reed, S.S., Wasserman, R.L., Desormeaux, W.A. 2015. Binding of oleic acid reduces the allergenic properties of peanut extract and cashew allergen. Food Chemistry. 180:295-300.

Interpretive Summary: Oleic acid (OA) is a monounsaturated fatty acid known to have good frying stability and shelf-life properties. Oils rich in OA are reported to have positive health implications or reduced health risks. More recently, OA has been shown to bind and change the bioactivity of proteins. Our objective was to determine if OA binds to allergens from a peanut extract or cashew allergen and changes their allergenic properties. Peanut extract or cashew allergen was treated with or without sodium oleate at 70 degrees celsius for 60 minutes, or under the same condition with an additional overnight incubation at 30 degrees celsius. After treatment, the samples were analyzed for protein-bound OA and allergenic properties. Results showed that OA reduced the allergenic properties of both peanut extract and cashew allergen at a longer treatment time, and that the higher the content of OA bound by the allergen, the lower the allergenic properties of allergens. We concluded that OA reduced the allergenic properties of peanut extract and cashew allergen by binding to the allergens. The finding indicates that OA may have the potential for use as a coating to reduce the allergenic properties of peanut and cashew allergens.

Technical Abstract: Oleic acid (OA) is known to bind and change the bioactivities of proteins, such as a-lactalbumin and ß-lactoglobulin in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine if OA binds to allergens from a peanut extract or cashew allergen and changes their allergenic properties. Peanut extract or cashew allergen (Ana o 2) was treated with or without 5 mM sodium oleate at 70 degrees celsius for 60 minutes (T1), or under the same condition with an additional overnight incubation at 30 degrees celsius (T2). After treatment, the samples were dialyzed and analyzed in SDS-PAGE and for OA content. Also, IgE binding was performed in ELISA and Western blots, using a pool of plasma from individuals with peanut or cashew allergy. Results showed that OA at a concentration of 5 mM reduced IgE binding to the allergens. Peanut sample T2 exhibited a lower IgE binding and a higher OA content (protein-bound) than T1. Cashew allergen T2 also showed a reduction in IgE binding. We concluded that OA reduced the allergenic properties of peanut extract and cashew allergen by binding to the allergens. The finding indicates that OA may have the potential for use as a coating to reduce the allergenic properties of peanut and cashew allergens.