Any food protein entering the circulation in sufficient quantity can produce symptom patterns resembling serum sickness. If antigens make it into the bloodstream, they can stimulate the production of antibodies. These antibodies can then combine with complement in the blood to produce circulating immune complexes (CICs) which can be detrimental to overall health.

It is well established that food-related allergies cause a variety of illnesses in humans and other animals. Approximately 2% of adults and about 5% of infants and young children in the United States suffer from immediate (IgE) food allergies each year. Roughly 30,000 individuals require emergency room treatment annually as a result of food allergies. In addition, over 60% of Americans needlessly suffer from hypersensitive reactions to foods and food additives.

At present, there is no cure for a food allergy. A food-allergic patient must avoid the food to which he or she is allergic in order to be symptom-free. The timing and location of allergic reaction to a food are affected by digestion. For example, an allergic person may first experience a severe itching of the tongue.

The onset of IgE symptoms may vary from a few minutes to an hour and are mediated by histamine.

Delayed reactions usually take hours or days to present symptoms and manifest themselves in chronic diseases such as IBS or eczema.

Delayed food related allergies begin in the gastro-intestinal tract when the intestinal lining becomes hyper-permeable.

This problem is known as “leaky gut syndrome”. Medically, it is defined as an increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa to partially digested protein macromolecules, antigens and toxins. Recently, Zonulin, a protein found in the human gut, was discovered at the University of Maryland, by Dr. H. Fasano. This protein was originally discovered in high concentration in patients with acute Celiac Disease. It destroys or opens the tight junctions between mucosa cells of the gut, which causes an increased permeability and an increased absorption of partially digested proteins.

The immunological reaction to these proteins in the liver initiate chronic food sensitivity. An increase in intestinal permeability or leaky gut is a common and very real problem. If the gut is not healthy, neither is the rest of the body. Escalating food allergies are among the many problems caused by a leaky gut. However, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, indigestion, alternating constipation and diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome may not be all that’s going on in the body. When the gut lining becomes inflamed or damaged the normal function of the gastro-intestinal tract is disrupted.

Normally, the body recognizes and absorbs only amino acids, glucose and the short chain fatty acids, but with a leaky gut, large food antigens are absorbed into the body.

The body’s defense systems attack and the result is the production of antibodies against once harmless, innocuous foods. IgG antibodies and immune complexes are formed in the bloodstream and circulate.

Blood contaminated with partially digested food coming from the gastro-intestinal tract travels through the liver where most immune complexes are removed. If circulating immune complexes pass the liver filter, they may cause disturbances in many of the body’s organs.

The combination of antibody with complement in the blood stream is a circulating immune complex. Immune complexes attach to CR1 receptors of red and white blood cells. Individuals have varying numbers of CR1 receptors.

In most cases, CICs are simply removed from circulation by macrophages in the liver and spleen prior to triggering a cascade of events which may cause multiple symptoms and possible tissue damage.

Circulating immune complexes that are not removed can activate a complement cascade. This is a circulating system of 25 proteins which interact to produce a variety of molecular defensive weapons. There are two main functions of the complement cascade. The first is defense against bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. Antibodies covalently bind C3b which starts a chain reaction that triggers the complement cascade. The function of immune complex is to lyse cells by activation of this complex, assemble into pores on the cell membrane, and disrupt the cell membrane or cell walls.

The net effect is that sodium and water flow into a cell causing the cell death. In addition, complement generates cytokine inflammatory mediation. For more information on this topic, read “Immunology”  by Male, Brostoff Roth, and Roitt. It is found in most medical school libraries. Clearly, activation of complement can have severe consequences causing tissue damage in any organ. Circulating immune complexes damage the integrity of capillaries which trigger inflammatory events.

A classic model of immune complex induced pathology is the Arthus reaction to the small pox vaccine. These large insoluble complexes with complement excite inflammatory responses in target tissues, i.e. smallpox vaccinations that cause residual skin eruptions then scarring. Clinical examples of this are rheumatic heart disease and glomerulonephritis.

The key is to measure the presence of allergen-specific immunoglobulins IgG and immune complex. Immune complexes are indicative of allergic reactions. C3b is the common junction of all three complement pathways. Immune complexes are missed with a straight complete IgG (IgG 1-4) test measuring these antibodies. The Sage Complement Antigen Test measures IgG and immune complexes that bind to foods, food additives and dyes.

This concept gives a more complete clinical picture of delayed food allergies.

Dr Daniel Dantini  M.D.