Induction of oral tolerance to prevent diabetes with transgenic plants requires glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and IL-4.

ABSTRACT: Induction of specific immunological unresponsiveness by feeding protein antigens is termed oral tolerance and may be a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases. Whereas oral tolerance therapy may be both simple and effective, the requirement for large amounts of protein will limit clinical testing of autoantigens, which are difficult to produce. We have previously demonstrated transgenic plant production and direct oral delivery of a beta cell autoantigen murine GAD67 to prevent autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice. Mucosal adjuvants such as cholera toxin B subunit may lower the level of autoantigen required, but the development of neutralizing mucosal antibody responses may limit usefulness in enhancing long-term oral tolerance. IL-4, being an endogenous protein, would avoid thi

SUBMITTER: Ma S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC397475 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature