We eat meat, then why don't our bodies develop an immune reaction against it? Why are blood proteins (except A, B und O antigen on RBCs) not considered foreign even though blood chemistry is different from person to person (I am talking about thousands of blood proteins)?
Dear Aaqib, 1) The sperm is foreign for women, and anti-sperm antibodies may be produced, especially if there is trauma or infections in reproductive tract. Anti-sperm antibodies may prevent conception and result in infertility. 2) Meat proteins do not contact with the cells of immune system up to moment, when they are digested onto nonimmunogenic components with low molecular weight. Then, the liver is functioning as effective filter, removing potentially immunogenic substances. 3) As a rule blood (plasma) proteins are evolutionary conserved and there are no significant differences from person to person. Even in different species immunizations with plasma proteins require to use adjuvants. It's quite another matter, when immunization is performed with blood cells. They carry both MHC and minor antigens. Many of them are represented by different allelic forms in different individuals and induce more or less strong immune reactions.
Hi Aaqib,
Proteins are digested in your gastro-intestinal system. The amino acids formed are taken up. The gut is also unbalanced towards anti-inflammation so a systemic immune response is not mounted.
Moreover, for an immune response many cells, receptors, conditions, factors are needed. Please refer to basic immunology books and courses.
Dear Aaqib, 1) The sperm is foreign for women, and anti-sperm antibodies may be produced, especially if there is trauma or infections in reproductive tract. Anti-sperm antibodies may prevent conception and result in infertility. 2) Meat proteins do not contact with the cells of immune system up to moment, when they are digested onto nonimmunogenic components with low molecular weight. Then, the liver is functioning as effective filter, removing potentially immunogenic substances. 3) As a rule blood (plasma) proteins are evolutionary conserved and there are no significant differences from person to person. Even in different species immunizations with plasma proteins require to use adjuvants. It's quite another matter, when immunization is performed with blood cells. They carry both MHC and minor antigens. Many of them are represented by different allelic forms in different individuals and induce more or less strong immune reactions.
The proteins from meat are digested to small components like amino acids which are absorbed in gastro intestinal tracts as compounds without immunogenicity
Dear Artur. please, be patient! It may be, Aaqib is specialist in different area. I do not recognize Aaqib's questions as unresonable. On the contrary, every of three ones can be the beginning of interesting discussion. For example, suggested topics would be 1a) seminal fluid and immune deviation; 1b) immune-mediated infertility; 2a) food alergy; 2b) intestinal immune system; 2c) oral tolerance; 2d) liver and autoimmunity; etc., etc., etc. It would be better for us to answer any questions as well as possible and give opportunity to everyone to know more. We can do this discussion interesting. It depends on us.
Your question about meat is very interesting. in fact, I am not sure that our body does not develop some immune response to the food we eat. Celiac disease is a well known example of an immune response to gluten in wheat. Could there be other, not yet recognized conditions which are caused by a similar response to other food components?
Could some cases of oral diseases such as gingivitis or tooth decay be caused by an inflammatory immune response to processed food?
Dear Aaqib
I think that in your question there are a lot of good questions at which I will add even "what about gut flora?"...I agree with Dmitry Kazansky about Blood proteins however I disagree about meat mainly because of Waldeyer ring and because of Michal Haran answer concerning celiac disease. I think that everything depends on a evolutionary conserved balance between Th1/Th2/Th17/Tregs/MDSCs (and something else we still don't know) that usually tends to homeostasis...Indeed, when an alteration of this balance happens usually you see development of diseases including cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, autoimmunity, infertility.
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