BALB/C mice as a model for immunogenicity testing of food proteins on the example of egg ovalbumin

Abstract

The aim of our study was to determine the dose and immunization scheme for commercial albumin from chicken egg white (OVA), based on immune response of mice gut mucosa. Balb/C mice were immunized orally in groups as follows: group I on day 0, 7, and 14 - 2 mg of OVA, group II on day 0, 7 and 14 - 100 μg of OVA, and group III on day 0, 1, 2, and 10 - 100 μg of OVA. After 37 days mice were intraperitoneally immunized with 100 μg OVA + CFA. We have demonstrated that blood serum titer for specific IgG was the highest in Group I and amounted to 213 and 211 after 14 and 35 days, respectively. Regardless of the immunization scheme, the dose of 100 μg induced lower response. All groups tested showed a slow decrease in IgG titer during four weeks of the experiment. By contrast, an intraperitoneal dose of 100 μg of OVA with CFA, administered on the 37th day of experiment, induced an increase in the end point titer (EPT) to 212-13 in all groups studied. What is more, stimulation of specific IgAs in blood serum and fecal extracts was on a detectable level. In conclusion, the selected method of antigen delivery was able to induce dose-dependent immune response. Therefore, the presented model of orally administered antigen without adjuvant can be used in the estimation of the immunogenicity of food proteins.