Safety evaluation of hypoallergenic wheat flour by using a DNA microarray

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2006 Jun;70(6):1464-70. doi: 10.1271/bbb.60002. Epub 2006 Jun 1.

Abstract

The effect of the consumption of hypoallergenic wheat flour (HWF) on the expression of a wide spectrum of genes was analyzed by using a DNA microarray. Gene expression profiles in the liver and intestines of rats fed on a diet composed mainly of HWF were compared with those of rats fed on a normal flour-based diet. Among the eight thousand transcripts represented on the GeneChip microarray, no more than 30 genes exhibited up- or down-regulation of two-fold or more after one week or two months of HWF consumption. No adverse effects were apparent. Up-regulation of some of the genes known to respond to the interferon-gamma signal was apparent in the one-week experiment, which may be related to possible oral immunotolerance resulting from HWF feeding. This DNA microarray technology presents an efficient method for evaluating the safety of foods.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Flour / standards*
  • Intestine, Small / drug effects
  • Intestine, Small / immunology
  • Intestine, Small / metabolism
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / immunology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Triticum*
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Allergens