OVA-Experienced CD4(+) T Cell Transfer and Chicken Protein Challenge Affect the Immune Response to OVA in a Murine Model

Chicken meat is often a major component of a modern diet. Allergy to chicken meat is relatively rare and occurs independently or in subjects allergic to ovalbumin (OVA). We examined the effect of adoptive transfer of OVA-CD4(+) T cells on the immune response to OVA in mice fed chicken meat. Donor mice were injected intraperitoneally with 100 µg of OVA with Freund’s adjuvant two times over a week, and CD4(+) T cells were isolated from them and transferred to naïve mice (CD4(+)/OVA/ChM group), which were then provoked with OVA with FA and fed freeze-dried chicken meat for 14 days. The mice injected with OVA and fed chicken meat (OVA/ChM group), and sensitized (OVA group) and healthy (PBS group) mice served as controls. Humoral and cellular response to OVA was monitored over the study. The CD4(+)/OVA/ChM group had lowered levels of anti-OVA IgG and IgA, and total IgE. There were significant differences in CD4(+), CD4(+)CD25(+), and CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) T cells between groups. OVA stimulation decreased the splenocyte proliferation index and IFN-γ secretion in the CD4(+)/OVA/ChM group compared to the OVA group. IL-4 was increased in the OVA/ChM mice, which confirms allergenic potential of the egg–meat protein combination. Transfer of OVA-experienced CD4(+) T cells ameliorated the negative immune response to OVA.