Specific immuno-modulation and therapy by means\\ of high pressure treated allergens

Abstract

A high-pressure treatment (>100 MPa) can change the quarternary, tertiary, and secondary structures of proteins. Experiments have shown the prospects of high-pressure treatment for the development of viral and tumour vaccines, for the inactivation of resected infection- and tumour-bearing bone segments and for the decrease of food allergenicity. Allergic patients had minor or no allergy symptoms against high pressure treated foods, which were birch pollen allergy related (hazelnut, carrot, cherry, peach, celery, and apple). Three patients with a heavy allergy against apple could be hyposensitized by means of a specific immuno-therapy with high pressure treated apple.

Keywords:

• High pressure
• Allergy
• Allergen
• Allergenicity
• Hyposensitization
• Protein

Acknowledgements

The autors thank G. Bluemelhuber (né Hoehn), V. Grimm, and M. Scheibenzuber for the participation in allergy research.