Alpha-lactalbumin (ALA), a significant allergen in cow's milk, requires urgent preventative and therapeutic techniques. Peptide immunotherapy may modify allergic reactivity without cross-linking IgE, making it crucial to milk allergy treatment. In the present study, tolerogenic peptides of α-lactalbumin have been identified by constructing immune cells (MLN cells, splenocytes) from a mouse model of cow's milk allergy and co-culturing them in vitro with candidate peptides. The allergy model demonstrated significant alterations in physiological and biochemical indices within the experimental group. Subsequent co-culture of immune cells with candidate peptides revealed that peptide ALA AA (1-19) induced the expansion of Treg cells and promoted a tolerogenic phenotype in DCs. Taken together, these results led to the successful screening of ALA-tolerant peptides, which inhibited the release of allergy-related cytokines and induced the differentiation of immune cells toward the tolerant phenotype. This study provides a food-compatible peptide strategy for CMA management, with potential applications in hypoallergenic dairy products. Meanwhile, these findings laid the foundation for further validation in subsequent in vivo experiments.
Han et al. (Wed,) studied this question.