Green pea (Pisum sativum) is a component of European cuisine; however, an estimated 0.8% of Europeans suffer from allergies to pea proteins. We examined the immunoreactive potential of pea albumins (PA) in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Mice were orally gavaged with PA or glycated pea albumins (G-PA) for 10 consecutive days, in combination with an adjuvant. Both PA and G-PA increased PA-specific serum antibody titers to about 212 for anti-PA IgG, ∼27 for anti-PA IgA, and ∼27.8 for anti-PA IgA in fecal extracts (p < 0.001). On day 42 postexposure, the antibodies titers decreased and were greater in BALB/c compared to C57BL/6 mice (p < 0.05). Distribution of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in lymphoid tissues presented strain-specific differences. PA was found to induce lymphocyte proliferation; however, G-PA did not. Both PA and G-PA changed CD4+ and CD8+ T cells percentages in some lymphoid tissues; however, this did not impact cytokines production by splenocyte cultures evidenced by the stimulation of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells. The observed immunomodulatory properties of PA and G-PA and lack of a sign of allergic reaction render them suitable for supplements in personalized diets, but further research is needed to precisely understand this activity.
Keywords: T cells; food allergy; immunomodulation; non-enzymatic glycosylation; pea albumins (PA).