Milk and Meat Allergens from Bos taurus β-Lactoglobulin, α-Casein, and Bovine Serum Albumin: An In-Vivo Study of the Immune Response in Mice

Abstract

The mechanism of food allergy may vary. This study aimed to compare the effects of milk, yogurt, or beef meat supplementation on humoral and cellular immune responses in a mice model. Mice were divided into four groups: The “Milk group” was sensitized with a β-lactoglobulin (β-lg)/α-casein (α-CN) mixture and supplemented cow milk; the “Yogurt group” was sensitized with β-lg/α-CN and supplemented yogurt; the “Beef group” was immunized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and supplemented beef meat; and the “PBS group” received PBS in all procedures. ELISA was used to measure humoral response, including: Total IgE, specific IgG, and IgA. Cellular response was determined by phenotyping lymphocyte from lymphoid tissue and measuring the Th1/Th2 cytokine concentration with flow cytometry. The qPCR method was used for quantification of the fecal microbiota. The results obtained revealed a lower IgE level for the Yogurt group than for the Milk one. In the Yogurt group, the contribution of regulatory T cells to MLN and PP was higher compared to the other groups. We confirmed that diet supplementation with yogurt modulates the immune response to the prime allergen, and changes the activity of serum antibodies to milk proteins and BSA. Based on a specific antibodies level, we cannot exclude the possibility of CMA mice reaction against BSA.