NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

5-25-2025

Document Type

Master's Thesis - Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Microbiology and Immunology

First Advisor

Xiu-Min Li

Second Advisor

Chandra Shekhar Bakshi

Third Advisor

Raj Tiwari

Abstract

Approximately 32 million people in the United States have food allergies, which is approximately 10 percent of the population. Food allergies can be mild, moderate, or even severe, resulting in anaphylaxis. The most predominant food groups that trigger food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Peanuts and tree nuts have some similarities in protein structure. Shellfish is not associated with the protein properties of peanuts or tree nuts, it is the leading cause of adult anaphylaxis and often co-exist with peanut and tree nut allergies Currently, there are few studies that have established a murine model for allergy development or measure of anaphylaxis. This problem renders significant data and gaps in knowledge regarding a suitable treatment approach, much less an understanding of how allergies develop. Though the knowledge of food allergies themselves is well established, there are few studies that examine their mechanisms.

In this study, C3H/HeJ mice were sensitized intraperitoneally weekly for three weeks using 500 µg protein of peanut, cashew, and shrimp, with 2 mg Alum with control mice being naïve to the tested allergens. During weeks 4 and 5, the sensitized mice received intragastrical challenges with 200 mg/mouse with the following foods: peanut on week one, cashew during week two, and shrimp on during the third week. Anaphylactic symptoms and rectal temperatures were measured during the challenges, while serum IgE levels were measured following the oral challenges. Results showed significant elevation of peanut, cashew, and shrimp-specific IgE levels in the allergen-sensitized mice. Across all allergens, mice experienced some level of symptoms of anaphylaxis. This was shown to be in juxtaposition with decreased rectal temperatures. When the naïve mice were tested with the allergens, they experienced no elevation expression of IgE in their serum. Further, the naïve mice showed no expression of anaphylaxis symptoms or decrease in temperature when intragastric challenges were performed thus showing IgE is a necessary mediator of anaphylaxis, and the symptoms associated with it through the

detection methods used, throughout this study.

Disciplines

Immunity | Immunopathology

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