Cottonseed proteins react with peanut and tree nut allergy antibodies
What it found
In lab tests, antibodies from people allergic to peanuts or tree nuts bound to proteins in glandless cottonseed.
The authors say these cottonseed proteins should be checked in future allergy risk assessments.
What they found
Studies in people
IgE binding in people
Eight of 32 peanut and tree nut allergic samples had significant IgE binding to cottonseed extracts. In most cases, binding to cottonseed was much lower than binding to peanut extract.
Animal and lab studies
Proteins identified
The IgE recognized two bands at about 49 and 51 kDa. Mass spectrometry showed these bands matched cotton vicilin and legumin proteins.
Other findings
Sequence similarity
Computer analysis found that cotton vicilin and legumin proteins share sequence similarity with peanut and tree nut allergens, including peanut Ara h 1 and cashew Ana o 2. Some sequences were similar to known IgE epitopes.
Surface exposure
Protein models showed that some of the predicted IgE cross-reactive sequences are likely on the surface of the cotton proteins.
What the authors conclude
“The observations suggest both the cotton vicilin and legumin proteins were recognized by the nut allergic IgE, and they should be considered for future allergen risk assessments evaluating glandless cottonseed protein products.”
Also in their conclusions
- They suggest that both the cotton vicilin and legumin proteins were recognized by nut allergic IgE and should be considered for future allergen risk assessments evaluating glandless cottonseed protein products.
- They advise that care should be taken when using cottonseed protein as human food, and that accurate labelling and informed medical advice are the best means to convey potential allergy risks.
How it was done
Glandless cottonseed is a new food source, but its seed storage proteins might act as allergens. The authors wanted to see if peanut and tree nut allergy antibodies cross-react with these proteins.
They tested blood samples from 32 volunteers with peanut and/or tree nut allergy. They used ELISA and immunoblot to see if IgE antibodies bound to glandless cottonseed protein extracts, and then used mass spectrometry and computer analysis to identify the proteins and compare their sequences to known nut allergens.
What it can’t tell you
- This study used blood samples in the lab, so it cannot show whether eating glandless cottonseed would cause allergic reactions in people.
- The findings are based on a small number of allergic volunteers, so other people might react differently.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by United States Department of Agriculture (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Southern Regional Research Center, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USA
The paper
- Title
- Cross-Serological Reaction of Glandless Cottonseed Proteins to Peanut and Tree Nut Allergic IgE
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Mattison CP, He Z, Zhang D, Dupre R, Lloyd SW (2023). Cross-Serological Reaction of Glandless Cottonseed Proteins to Peanut and Tree Nut Allergic IgE. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). doi:10.3390/molecules28041587Free full textPubMed 36838575DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error