Antigenic evaluation of natural food colors (cochineal extract, lac color, and their coloring compounds) using popliteal lymph node assay

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  • マウス膝窩リンパ節測定法による天然着色料(コチニール色素、ラック色素および色素本体化合物)の抗原性評価の試み

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Abstract

The mouse popliteal lymph node assay (PLNA) has been applied as an immunotoxicological test to predict the allergenicity of chemicals. In our previous reports, we suggested that the antigenicity by PLNA depends on the chemical structures of dyes, rather than on the retention period in the footpads. Herein, we applied this test to evaluate the antigenicity of the natural food colors with anthraquinone structure, cochineal extract and lac color. The cochineal extract increased the PLN cellularity index. Neither the highly purified cochineal extract nor carminic acid increased the PLN cellularity index. These results are consistent with the reports identifying proteins in cochineal extract as antigens. Lac color itself has strong antigenicity. Our results suggest that PLNA is a useful method for evaluating the degree of refinement of products, such as natural food colors with antigenicity.

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