Table 3.
Studies using immune infiltrate as readout of allergic inflammation to egg, milk, and peanut proteins
| Mouse/rat Model | Allergen | Allergen sensitization | Allergen challenge | Immune infiltrate | Method | Therapeutic/preventive strategy | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C57BL/6 or BALB/c | OVA, crude peanut extract | Skin | Intragastric | Mast cells, eosinophils | Flow cytometry for intestinal eosinophils/mast cells, chloroacetate esterase staining for mast cells in jejunum, H&E staining | Anti‐TSLP treatment or basophil depletion limits food allergen sensitization and the development of intestinal food allergy | 50 |
| C57BL/6 | OVA | Skin | Intragastric | Mast cells, eosinophils | Flow cytometry for intestinal eosinophils/mast cells, chloroacetate esterase staining for mast cells in jejunum, H&E staining | Targeting basophil‐derived IL‐4 reduces food allergen sensitization and limits intestinal food allergy | 7 |
| BALB/c | Raw or roasted peanut extracts | Skin | Intragastric | Eosinophils | Flow cytometry for eosinophils in the small intestinal lamina propria; H&E staining jejunum | NA | 51 |
| BALB/c | OVA | Skin | Intragastric | Eosinophils | Flow cytometry for peripheral eosinophils; H&E staining jejunum | Basophil depletion attenuates intestinal allergy; CD4 T‐cell depletion limits TSLP‐mediated intestinal food allergy | 52 |
| BALB/c | OVA | Systemic | Intragastric | Mast cells, CD4 T cells | H&E staining jejunum, chloroacetate esterase staining of mast cells in the jejunum; flow cytometry of CD4 + T cells in the small intestinal lamina propria | Treatment with mast cell stabilizing cromolyn sodium protects against food allergen sensitization | 53 |
| BALB/c | OVA | Skin | Intragastric | Mast cells | Chloroacetate esterase staining of connective tissue mast cells in the jejunum | Targeting of IgE responses prevented intestinal mast cell expansion and anaphylaxis | 54 |
| Various | OVA | Intestine | Intragastric | Allergen‐specific Tregs that acquire Th2 mast cells | Flow cytometry of small intestinal Foxp3 + Tregs; chloroacetate esterase staining of connective tissue mast cells in the jejunum | NA | 55 |
| BALB/c | OVA; whole peanut extract | Intestine | Intragastric | Mast cells; eosinophils | H&E staining jejunum; pinacyanol erythrosine staining to determine mast cell numbers and granulation status in the jejunum | NA | 56 |
| BALB/c | OVA | Skin | Intragastric | Mast cells | Chloroacetate esterase staining of mast cells in the jejunum | ST2 blockade attenuates food‐induced anaphylaxis | 57 |
| C3H/HeJ; BALB/c | OVA; ground peanut | Skin; systemic | Intragastric | Lap + Tregs | Flow cytometry for Lap + Tregs in the lamina propria | Clinical protection induced by epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) | 58 |
| BALB/c | BLG | Intestine | Intragastric | Lamina propria lymphocytes | ELISPOT IL‐12, IL‐17 producing lymphocytes from the intestinal lamina propria | Blocking TSLP signaling prevents food allergy | 59 |