Impact of sulfur and vitamin C on the allergenicity of Mal d 2 from apple (Malus domestica)

J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Jul 30;62(30):7622-30. doi: 10.1021/jf5020878. Epub 2014 Jul 16.

Abstract

Mal d 2 is a minor allergen from apple which shows a high conformational stability due to its eight conserved disulfide bridges. Chemical reduction of disulfide bridges and linearization of Mal d 2 lead to enhanced IgE reactivity in vitro and indicate a higher potential for allergenicity. Since food preservatives such as sulfur and vitamin C are reducing and denaturing agents, their influence on Mal d 2 allergenicity was verified by simulated food processing conditions. The immunoreactivity of purified Mal d 2 was investigated after different treatments in vitro and in vivo using IgG/IgE Western blotting, mediator-releasing cell assay, and skin prick and oral smear tests. The conformational changes of Mal d 2 upon addition of 1% and 5% vitamin C were also monitored by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results show no positive skin and oral smear test reactivity to native, heated, or vitamin C-treated purified Mal d 2. Furthermore, the results confirm that sulfur in combination with heat treatment can influence the structural integrity and thus the allergenicity of Mal d 2, while vitamin C is too weak as a reducing agent to change allergenicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / immunology*
  • Allergens / isolation & purification
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Plant / immunology*
  • Antigens, Plant / isolation & purification
  • Ascorbic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Food Handling
  • Food Hypersensitivity / immunology
  • Food Hypersensitivity / prevention & control
  • Hot Temperature
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin E / immunology
  • Malus / immunology*
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / immunology
  • Rats
  • Skin Tests / methods
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Sulfur / pharmacology*
  • Transfection
  • beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases / metabolism

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Antigens, Plant
  • Plant Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Sulfur
  • beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases
  • Ascorbic Acid