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Bovine casein is a major allergen present in cow milk to induce anaphylaxis. In this study, the potential allergenicity of enzymatically hydrolyzed casein (HC) was evaluated based on in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that Alcalase and Protamex treatment (AT, PT) reduced the potential allergenicity of CN, with the greatest reductions of 68.25% and 50.75%, respectively. In addition, in vivo results showed that HC effectively alleviated allergic response symptoms of Balb/c mice; a significant tendency toward decreased serum IgG1 and mast cell tryptase levels was observed, accompanied by a decrease of Th2-associated IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 and an increase of IFN-γ levels in spleen. Moreover, the inflammation of the lung, jejunum, and ileum was remarkably ameliorated. The findings indicated that HC induced a shift toward Th1 response and maintained the Th1/Th2 immune balance. Importantly, our results provide the basis for the production of hypoallergenic dairy products., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists.)

Bovine casein (CN) is abundant in cow milk (CM) and is a major allergen in CM. Recently, several studies have investigated the allergenicity of CN in vivo and in vitro. In this study, the potential antigenicity of enzymatically hydrolyzed CN in vitro was evaluated, and the results showed that Alcalase hydrolysis remarkably reduced the IgG-binding capacity of CN by 36.22–77.84%. Additionally, the IgE-binding capacity of CN was reduced by Alcalase (65.29%) and Protamex (68.49%) treatments. The allergenicity of CN in vivo was also assessed, and the results showed that the allergic symptoms of BALB/c mice were effectively relieved; the levels of IgG, IgE, mMCP-1, histamine, and Th2-related cytokines were reduced; and allergic inflammation of the lungs, jejunum, and spleen was significantly alleviated. These findings suggest that Alcalase, Protamex, and Flavourzyme hydrolysis could effectively reduce sensitization to CN, and our research provides a foundation for developing hypoallergenic dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]