Hapten may play an important role in food allergen-related intestinal immune inflammation

Abstract

There has been a significant increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases especially over the past 2 to 3 decades. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of food allergy are not fully understood. In recent years, with the huge increase in atopic disease, there has also been an increase in dietary hapten exposure. Allergic reactions to chemical haptens occur, in the overwhelming majority of cases, as an inflammatory reaction in the skin to direct contact with haptens. While reactions to haptens on other epithelial surfaces have only rarely been investigated; it is still not clear whether haptens can combine the food antigens and play a role in the induction of food allergen-related inflammation in the intestine. Further research is needed to reveal the underlying mechanism.

Experimental food allergy models to study the role of innate immune cells as initiators of allergen-specific Th2 immune responses

“…Physical damage of the skin epithelium can be induced by repeated tape-stripping of skin allowing for food allergen sensitization on a compromised skin barrier causing food allergy upon oral or systemic allergen challenge [8]. Chemicals used to promote epicutaneous food allergen sensitization include topical treatment with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) [9], sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) [10] or calcipotriol (MC903), a vitamin D analogue that is widely used to induce atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in mice. Because AD is a risk factor for the onset of food allergy and asthma in humans, recent studies made use of the MC903-mediated food allergen sensitization protocol to induce food allergy or allergic airway inflammation in mice [11], [12].…”

Particularities of the Diet Used in Milk Allergy

“…They become antigenic only by binding with large colloidal molecules like proteins. Often, from the haptens category, a lot of substances are used in preparing food [8].…”