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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 #417420

Research Project: Reducing the Development and Severity of Allergy to Peanuts and Tree Nuts

Location: Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research

Title: Glandless cottonseed C72 and GC72 vicilins cross-react with peanut and tree nut allergic IgE

Author
item Vuong, Tien
item Dupre, Rebecca
item He, Zhongqi
item MINKIEWICZ, PIOTR - University Of Warmia
item DAREWICZ, MALGORZATA - University Of Warmia
item Mattison, Christopher

Submitted to: ACS Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/24/2024
Publication Date: 1/27/2025
Citation: Vuong, T.T., Dupre, R.A., He, Z., Minkiewicz, P., Darewicz, M., Mattison, C.P. 2025. Glandless cottonseed C72 and GC72 vicilins cross-react with peanut and tree nut allergic IgE. ACS Food Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00577.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00577

Interpretive Summary: About 4 million tons of cottonseed is produced each year. Cottonseed could be used as a human food and animal feed source but it contains a compound called gossypol that is toxic to humans and animals. To solve this problem researchers have identified Glandless cottonseed (Glc) that lacks the toxic gossypol. Glc could be an excellent new food source however, it contains some proteins that are similar to peanut allergens. For example, two of the Glc proteins called C72 and GC72 are similar to the Ara h 1 peanut allergen. Several tests were done to determine if the Glc C72 and GC72 proteins could be allergenic. Antibody binding tests indicated that the C72 and GC72 cotton proteins were recognized by antibodies that recognize the Ara h 1 peanut allergen. Importantly, the C72 and GC72A proteins were also recognized by antibodies from ~50% of blood samples from peanut or tree nut allergic volunteers. Simulated digestion studies in a tube indicated that the Glc proteins were readily digested, and computer analysis indicated that some of the Glc proteins could be good sources of bio-active peptides. The results presented here indicate the C72 and GC72A proteins represent an allergen concern for new food and feed applications utilizing Glc protein, but may also be a good source of bio-active peptides.

Technical Abstract: Glandless cottonseed (Glc) is an exciting new food source but contains C72 and GC72A vicilin proteins similar to the Ara h 1 peanut allergen. The objective here was to evaluate some of the immunologic, catabolic, and bioactive peptide propertiesof the C72 and GC72A proteins. Immunoblot assay indicated that C72 and GC72A were recognized by three anti-Ara h 1 antibodies. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with purified native C72 and GC72A showed they were recognized by IgE from 13 of 25 (~50%) peanut or tree-nut-allergic sera. A subset of these sera also recognized recombinant C72 and GC72A. In vitro simulated digestion indicated that Glc proteins were readily digested. In silico analysis revealed that C72, GC72A, and other cupin domains containing Glc proteins are potential sources of bioactive peptides. The results presented here indicate that the C72and GC72A proteins represent an allergen concern and potential source of bioactive peptides in food applications.