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The immunological consequences of the oral ingestion of soybean proteins

The immunological consequences of the oral ingestion of soybean proteins
The immunological consequences of the oral ingestion of soybean proteins

Since the soybean is being used increasingly in the human diet, it is desirable to study the immunological consequences. A suitable assay system for soybean antigens and for antibodies against soybean proteins is therefore required. Conventional techniques for the detection of antibodies, such as immune-precipitation and passive haemagglutination, were inapplicable to anti-soybean antibodies due to non-immune precipitation by serum calcium and spontaneous haemagglutination caused by residual lectin activity. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, utilising polystyrene cuvettes as an inert, solid—phase support for the soya antigen, was developed and found to be both sensitive and reliable for the measurement of anti-soya IgG, IgA and soya antigens in human and rabbit serum and milk samples.

Ingestion of Promine D, a soybean isolate, by adult rabbits led to lower immune responses in the offspring, following oral or parenteral immunisation, compared with the offspring of control dams. The mechanism of transfer of immune unresponsiveness from mother to offspring could not be ascertained from the data. Plausible explanations include a cellular mechanism, involving antigen processing by the maternal gut- associated lymphoid tissue, and transfer of antigen or lymphocytes to the offspring before or after birth via colostrum.

Cord blood, colostrum and mature breast milk samples from human volunteers, ingesting soya and egg protein, were found to contain antigenically intact proteins and antibodies against these antigens. The possible effects of these antigens and antibodies on the human neonate are discussed. Differences between the responses to soya and egg were possibly due to different amounts of these proteins in the normal human diet or to the lower antigenicity of soybean products.

No adverse effects due to soya proteins were observed in these studies.

University of Southampton
Pitts, Jennifer Margaret
19df89af-c7b9-4ae0-a6dd-dbabe7b8882a
Pitts, Jennifer Margaret
19df89af-c7b9-4ae0-a6dd-dbabe7b8882a
Lowe, Chris
abe30462-e8d8-44b9-9304-1b0f0ab7ee96

Pitts, Jennifer Margaret (1983) The immunological consequences of the oral ingestion of soybean proteins. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis, 294pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Since the soybean is being used increasingly in the human diet, it is desirable to study the immunological consequences. A suitable assay system for soybean antigens and for antibodies against soybean proteins is therefore required. Conventional techniques for the detection of antibodies, such as immune-precipitation and passive haemagglutination, were inapplicable to anti-soybean antibodies due to non-immune precipitation by serum calcium and spontaneous haemagglutination caused by residual lectin activity. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, utilising polystyrene cuvettes as an inert, solid—phase support for the soya antigen, was developed and found to be both sensitive and reliable for the measurement of anti-soya IgG, IgA and soya antigens in human and rabbit serum and milk samples.

Ingestion of Promine D, a soybean isolate, by adult rabbits led to lower immune responses in the offspring, following oral or parenteral immunisation, compared with the offspring of control dams. The mechanism of transfer of immune unresponsiveness from mother to offspring could not be ascertained from the data. Plausible explanations include a cellular mechanism, involving antigen processing by the maternal gut- associated lymphoid tissue, and transfer of antigen or lymphocytes to the offspring before or after birth via colostrum.

Cord blood, colostrum and mature breast milk samples from human volunteers, ingesting soya and egg protein, were found to contain antigenically intact proteins and antibodies against these antigens. The possible effects of these antigens and antibodies on the human neonate are discussed. Differences between the responses to soya and egg were possibly due to different amounts of these proteins in the normal human diet or to the lower antigenicity of soybean products.

No adverse effects due to soya proteins were observed in these studies.

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Pitts 1983 Thesis - Version of Record
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Published date: 1983

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 460309
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/460309
PURE UUID: d00a0b99-2fa7-4ad5-b471-15453459aaef

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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 18:18
Last modified: 21 Jun 2024 17:10

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Contributors

Author: Jennifer Margaret Pitts
Thesis advisor: Chris Lowe

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