Peanuts can contribute to anaphylactic shock by activating complement

M Khodoun, R Strait, T Orekov, S Hogan… - Journal of allergy and …, 2009 - Elsevier
BACKGROUND: Peanut allergy is the most common food-related cause of lethal
anaphylaxis and, unlike other food allergies, typically persists into adulthood. Resistance to
digestion and dendritic cell activation by the major peanut allergen Ara h 1 are reported to
contribute to its allergenicity. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate whether peanut molecules
might also promote anaphylaxis through an innate immune mechanism. METHODS: Naive
mice were treated with a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist and long-acting IL-4 to increase …