Protein carbonylation during electron beam irradiation may be responsible for changes in IgE binding to turbot parvalbumin

- EB Irradiation could cause protein carbonyls.
- EB irradiation could reduce IgE binding capacity of fish parvalbumin.
- Protein carbonyls contents have positive relation with IgE binding capacity reduction.
- Fish allergenicity reduction caused by irradiation maybe induced by protein carbonyls.

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between protein carbonylation and changes of the IgE reactivity of turbot parvalbumin (PV) following electron beam (EB) irradiation. The concentration of protein carbonyls, specific IgE binding, and IgE binding inhibition between irradiated and oxidized PV were assessed. Irradiation resulted in a 3-fold enhancement in the protein carbonyl content. In purified PV irradiated with a 10-kGy dose, specific IgE binding was reduced by 91.2 ± 6.2%. When raw PV was treated with reactive oxygen species (ROS), the protein carbonyl content increased 17.6-fold, with the specific IgE binding being reduced by 87.9 ± 6.5% at an ROS concentration of 10 nmol/mL. The IgE binding inhibition between irradiated and oxidized PV was investigated using an inhibition ELISA. Results showed that oxidized PV can inhibit the binding between irradiated PV and specific IgE with an IC50 of 8.2-58 ng according to different doses of irradiation. These findings suggest that EB irradiation reduces specific IgE binding, probably by the induction of protein carbonylation.