The anti-inflammatory SSEDIKE peptide from Amaranth seeds modulates IgE-mediated food allergy

The in vivo immunomodulatory effect of a bioactive peptide from Amaranthus hypochondriacus grains in an IgE-mediated food allergy mouse model was examined. The synthetic SSEDIKE peptide was orally administered to prevent food allergy. Upon oral challenge with milk allergens we observed an alleviation of hypersensitivity symptoms with negativization of skin test, a significant inhibition of specific IgE and IgG1 secretion, a substantial reduction in the secretion of IL-5 and IL-13 by antigen-stimulated spleen cells and mucosal reduction of transcripts coding for ccl20, gata-3 and nf-kb. In addition tgf-β and foxp3 mRNA levels were up-regulated in jejunum. The charged SSEDIKE peptide from Amaranth inhibited the allergy reaction in a mouse model of food allergy, with suppression of IgE secretion and control of the intestinal inflammation preventing the activation of NF-κB, which might be attributed to the induction of local tolerance.