Serum antibody response elicited by a casein diet is directed to only limited determinants of alpha s1-casein.

Feeding mice with bovine whole casein as a diet constituent elicited an anti-alpha s1-casein (alpha s1-CN) systemic humoral response. The mice fed with the casein (CN) diet responded poorly to subsequent parenteral immunization with the antigen, indicating that oral tolerance was induced in the animals. The serum antibodies elicited by feeding CN were tested for binding to a panel of synthetic peptides and are shown to recognize only a limited number of potential antigenic determinants on alpha s1-CN. Our results suggest that a similar mechanism may be involved in the onset of milk allergy.