Effect on humoral tolerance (IgG and IgE) in dogs by oral administration of ovalbumin and Der p I

Deplazes, P., Penhale, W.J., Greene, W.K. and Thompson, R.C.A. (1995) Effect on humoral tolerance (IgG and IgE) in dogs by oral administration of ovalbumin and Der p I. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 45 (3-4). pp. 361-367.

Abstract

The effect of oral administration of ovalbumin (OVA) or recombinant house dust mite allergen (Der p I) to dogs upon specific IgG and IgE reactions to subcutaneous immunization with these antigens was studied. Daily feeding of 10 x 10 g of OVA resulted in a non-responsiveness to subsequent parenteral immunization with OVA in two young dogs. The same two dogs were also immunized parenterally with Der p I and showed a pronounced IgG response against native Der p I, confirming that the non-responsiveness to OVA was antigen-specific. Thus, it has been demonstrated that it is possible to induce oral tolerance in dogs. Two other dogs of the same litter that received 2 x 10 mg of recombinant Der p I in a crude yeast lysate per os reacted to immunization with OVA with pronounced IgG and IgE production against OVA, further confirming the antigen-specificity of the OVA tolerance. However, tolerance to Der p I was not induced, as evidenced by a strong IgG response to immunization after per os application of the antigen, possibly because the oral dose was too small.