Author
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HELM, RICKI - ACNC/UAMS |
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Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 7/5/2006 Publication Date: 8/28/2006 Citation: Helm, R.M. 2006. Animal models for food allergy. In: Maleki, S., Burks, W., Helm, R., editors. Food Allergy. 1st Edition. Washington, D.C.: ASM Press. p. 171-177. Interpretive Summary: Different animals are being used in the laboratory to study how proteins in foods cause food allergy. Research includes studies to determine what makes a protein and allergen, searching for ways to treat food allergy and tests to determine if altered food products (genetically modified foods) will cause health concerns for individuals with food allergy or that are susceptible to becoming food allergic. Other studies are being designed to determine if there is some common allergen structure, common immune response to foods or food allergens that contribute to them becoming food allergic. Treatment studies include changing the allergen, how individuals are exposed (eating, inhaling or from skin contact), and contributions of germs and herbal medicines that can change the allergen to become a non-allergen. The present chapter will take information from these sources as well as others to provide the reader with authors' perspective on animal models that could contribute to making foods safe for individuals with food allergy. Technical Abstract: Animal models have been used to provide insight into the complex immunological and pathophysioligical mechanisms of human Type 1 allergic diseases. Research efforts that include mechanistic studies in search of new therapies and screening models for hazard identification of potential allergens in animals has received considerable attention in the past decade. Mechanistic studies include designs on allergen structure, organ/immune sytem processing, digestion stability, and genetics. Therapeutic studies include allergen modivications, route of exposure, tolerance development with bacterial agens/herbal medicines and cytokine skewing. Allergenic potential of novel proteins has received substantial interest in recent years aimed at predicting allergenicity for Genetically modified foods based upon known allergens, rare allergens and non-allergens in different animal models. The present chapter will take information from these sources as well as others to provide the reader with authors' perspecitve on animal models and food allergy that could extrapolate to human Type I allergic disease. |
