biostudies-literatureUnknown16Schubert FAllergen-specific oral immunotherapy is a disease-modifying treatment already established for respiratory allergies and tested for the treatment of several food allergies, with promising clinical and immunological outcomes. However, orally administered allergens must pass through the gastrointestinal tract, where they are exposed to proteolytic digestion. This study describes the design of multi-layered protein bodies (PBs) in <i>Nicotiana benthamiana</i> as a platform for allergen encapsulation, offering potential advantages for oral immunotherapy. By co-expression of three zein variants we generated multi-layered PBs with distinct core and shell structures containing derivatives of the major fish allergen parvalbumin. The specific layering and structural integrity of the PBs were confirmFrontiers in plant science1652246https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12436285biostudies-literatureBio-encapsulation of allergen-derivatives for specific immunotherapy.PMC12436285Schubert FStoger EArcalis EJeitler BRaith MSwoboda IKyral MfalseBio-encapsulation of allergen-derivatives for specific immunotherapy.Allergen-specific oral immunotherapy is a disease-modifying treatment already established for respiratory allergies and tested for the treatment of several food allergies, with promising clinical and immunological outcomes. However, orally administered allergens must pass through the gastrointestinal tract, where they are exposed to proteolytic digestion. This study describes the design of multi-layered protein bodies (PBs) in <i>Nicotiana benthamiana</i> as a platform for allergen encapsulation, offering potential advantages for oral immunotherapy. By co-expression of three zein variants we generated multi-layered PBs with distinct core and shell structures containing derivatives of the major fish allergen parvalbumin. The specific layering and structural integrity of the PBs were confirm2025-01-01T00:00:00Z20252026-04-08T19:51:53.943Z2026-04-08T14:35:29.767ZS-EPMC124362854096382410.3389/fpls.2025.1652246