Consumption of hypoallergenic flour prevents gluten-induced airway inflammation in brown Norway rats

Brown Norway rats were immunized with gluten, and then fed a diet containin g hypoallergenic flour or an amino acid mixture. The rats were then made to inhale a solubilized gluten to induce gluten-specific bronchial asthma. Th e antibody levels in the serum of rats were measured by ELISA, and cell cou nts were done on cytospin preparations of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Bod y weight was decreased after allergen challenge in rats fed the amino acid mixture but not in rats fed the hypoallergenic flour. Antibody levels in th e serum were significantly lower in rats fed hypoallergenic flour than in t hose fed the amino acid mixture. Differential cell counts in the bronchoalv eolar lavage fluid showed that the numbers of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and neutrophils were significantly lower in rats fed the hypoallergenic flour than in those fed the amino acid mixture. These results suggest that hypoal lergenic flour actively suppresses the allergic reactions; probably by indu cing oral tolerance.