Induction of mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) tropomyosin and arginine kinase specific hypersensitivity in BALB/c mice

BACKGROUND: Shellfish hypersensitivity is among the most common food allergies. The allergens tropomyosin (TM) and arginine kinase (AK) from mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) were purified to homogeneity. BALB/c female mice were sensitized with TM and AK by intragastric administration. Mice treated with normal saline served as the negative control (NC) group. RESULTS: Compared with NC group, mice that were treated with TM and AK developed reduced activity; meanwhile, their scratching behavior and specific-IgE level were increased. Specific-CD4+ T cells were significantly elevated in the splenocyte cultures of themice upon TMand AK stimulation. However, compared with the positive control group ( ovalbumin, OVA), there was no significant difference. The expression of IL-4 in culture cells stimulated by TM, AK, and OVA group showed significant differences from the NC group, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that a BALB/ c mouse model for sensitization to TMandAKfrommudcrab was successfully established, and the Th2 response was observed, displaying increased immunoglobulin E levels, together with the production of interleukin 4 and allergic symptoms. (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry