Gastrointestinal digestion products of shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) proteins retain an allergenic potential

The allergenic potential of shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) proteins during gastrointestinal (GI) digestion is currently unclear. In this study, the role of gastric, intestinal, and GI digestion on the sensitizing and eliciting capacity of shrimp proteins was investigated using a BALB/c mice model. Gastric digestion products of shrimp proteins produced lower specific IgE/IgG1, histamine and mMCP-1 levels and significantly reduced the proportion of degranulated mast cells as compared to the shrimp protein extract; furthermore, no histopathological changes were observed in the lung, spleen and jejunum. Conversely, their GI digestion products caused high specific IgE/IgG1 levels, mast cells degranulation and severe allergic symptoms in the mice, similar to those in the shrimp protein extract group. These results may be due to the masking or exposure of shrimp epitopes during digestion. Consequently, the GI digestion products of shrimp proteins retained an allergenic potential, although gastric digestion products showed a lowering effect.