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Title: Identification of epitopes of the A1aBx and A5A4B3 subunits of glycinin antigenic in three animal species

Author
item Taliercio, Earl
item Loveless, Telisa
item TURANO, MARC - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Food and Agricultural Immunology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/29/2013
Publication Date: 3/3/2014
Citation: Taliercio, E.W., Loveless, T.M., Turano, M. 2014. Identification of epitopes of the A1aBx and A5A4B3 subunits of glycinin antigenic in three animal species. Food and Agricultural Immunology. doi: 10.1080/09540105.2014.906566.

Interpretive Summary: Soy protein is added to a variety of food for humans and feed for animals to optimize nutritional content. Up to sixty percent of soy protein is composed of the seed storage proteins glycinin and conglycinin. Glycinin is hexamer. Each of six subunit includes an acidic and basic region and these subunits have been shown to cause the production of subunit-specific antibodies. This immunogenicity may impact the health of animals. For example the immunogenicity of soy protein is associated with poor growth in young pigs and skin irritation in dogs. We have identified the specific immunogenic regions of the A1aBx and A5A4B3 subunits of glycinin in 3 animal species commonly fed soy protein, hybrid striped bass, dogs and rabbits. We have identified 4 antigenic regions in these two glycinin subunits that are shared among the tested species. One antigenic region overlaps an epitope allergenic in pigs. One region is implicated in an allergic response in dogs by its ability to bind IgE from dogs.

Technical Abstract: Soybean meal is commonly added to a variety of animal feeds to supplement protein sources and to optimize growth. While soybean protein is a valuable food supplement it has also been recognized as an important food allergen. At least 16 allergenic soybean proteins have been identified, including the two most abundant soybean seed storage proteins, glycinin and conglycinin. A tiled peptide array (16 amino acids with an 11 amino acid over lap) of the A1aBx and A5A4B3 subunits of glycinin was screened to identify the epitopes that bind antibodies from rabbits, fish and dogs. We have identified 4 antigenic regions in these two glycinin subunits that are shared among the tested species. One antigenic region overlaps an epitope allergenic in pigs. One region is implicated in an allergic response in dogs by its ability to bind IgE from dogs.