CB28 - Reducing peanut allergenicity via magnetic nanoparticles for immunotherapeutic use
SCURS Disciplines
Chemistry
Document Type
General Poster
Invited Presentation Choice
Not Applicable
Abstract
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) allergy is among the most common food allergies in the U.S. and within the global population. Currently, the primary approach for managing peanut allergies is strict avoidance, but the use of immunotherapy is slowly emerging as a potential treatment to increase tolerance and reduce the risk of severe reactions. The major allergens responsible for most reactions are Ara h 1, h 2, and h 3. In this study, oxalic acid etched magnetic nanoparticles coated with tannic acid (MNP-TA) were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to adsorb the major peanut allergens. Peanut butter was defatted using two mixed solvents, hexane/ethanol and hexane/acetone (both 1:1 v/v). Extracted ARA was treated with MNP-TA (50 and 100 mg). Protein concentration, identification, and adsorption were evaluated using the bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA), sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The BCA assay and SDS-PAGE showed significant protein removal, especially with the 100 mg of MNP-TA, and ATR-FTIR spectra confirmed adsorbed protein on the nanoparticles’ surfaces. The BCA results indicated 45.8 ± 6.8% and 52.3 ± 0.3% protein removal in hexane/ethanol-derived ARA and hexane/acetone-derived ARA, respectively, using MNP-TA (100 mg). These results demonstrate the promising potential of MNP-TA as a tool for allergen removal, offering a novel and innovative therapeutic strategy to reduce the risk of severe reactions in individuals with peanut allergies. Furthermore, this approach can be developed into an immunotherapeutic treatment to safely desensitize patients with reduced, or controlled, allergen exposure.
Keywords
Peanut allergy, magnetic nanoparticles, protein adsorption, immunotherapy
Start Date
10-4-2026 9:30 AM
Location
University Readiness Center Greatroom
End Date
10-4-2026 11:30 AM
CB28 - Reducing peanut allergenicity via magnetic nanoparticles for immunotherapeutic use
University Readiness Center Greatroom
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) allergy is among the most common food allergies in the U.S. and within the global population. Currently, the primary approach for managing peanut allergies is strict avoidance, but the use of immunotherapy is slowly emerging as a potential treatment to increase tolerance and reduce the risk of severe reactions. The major allergens responsible for most reactions are Ara h 1, h 2, and h 3. In this study, oxalic acid etched magnetic nanoparticles coated with tannic acid (MNP-TA) were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to adsorb the major peanut allergens. Peanut butter was defatted using two mixed solvents, hexane/ethanol and hexane/acetone (both 1:1 v/v). Extracted ARA was treated with MNP-TA (50 and 100 mg). Protein concentration, identification, and adsorption were evaluated using the bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA), sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The BCA assay and SDS-PAGE showed significant protein removal, especially with the 100 mg of MNP-TA, and ATR-FTIR spectra confirmed adsorbed protein on the nanoparticles’ surfaces. The BCA results indicated 45.8 ± 6.8% and 52.3 ± 0.3% protein removal in hexane/ethanol-derived ARA and hexane/acetone-derived ARA, respectively, using MNP-TA (100 mg). These results demonstrate the promising potential of MNP-TA as a tool for allergen removal, offering a novel and innovative therapeutic strategy to reduce the risk of severe reactions in individuals with peanut allergies. Furthermore, this approach can be developed into an immunotherapeutic treatment to safely desensitize patients with reduced, or controlled, allergen exposure.