Review
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World J Immunol. Nov 27, 2014; 4(3): 141-148
Published online Nov 27, 2014. doi: 10.5411/wji.v4.i3.141
Transgenic plants for allergen-specific immunotherapy
Tomoe Nishimura, Mayumi Saeki, Osamu Kaminuma, Fumio Takaiwa, Takachika Hiroi
Tomoe Nishimura, Mayumi Saeki, Osamu Kaminuma, Takachika Hiroi, Allergy and Immunology Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
Fumio Takaiwa, Genetically Modified Organism Research Center, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan
Author contributions: Saeki M designed and wrote the paper; Kaminuma O, Nishimura T, Takaiwa F and Hiroi T contributed to editing of the paper.
Supported by Grant-in-Aid for Agri-health Project from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan to Takaiwa F and Hiroi T, JSPS KAKENHI to Saeki M No. 24791817 and 26860122; and that to Kaminuma O, No. 24500501; and Grant-in-Aid of Mishima Kaiun Memorial Foundation to Kaminuma O.
Correspondence to: Takachika Hiroi, DDS, PhD, Allergy and Immunology Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan. hiroi-tk@igakuken.or.jp
Telephone: +81-3-53163266 Fax: +81-3-53163153
Received: March 28, 2014
Revised: July 29, 2014
Accepted: September 4, 2014
Published online: November 27, 2014
Processing time: 235 Days and 17.8 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: We aim to establish clinically applicable oral immunotherapy by employing transgenic rice seeds (Tg rice) in which allergen epitopes are expressed. We have identified a suitable allergen packaging system, modified allergens to reduce their allergenicity, selected high allergen-producing lines, and evaluated their efficacy in allergic disease models. We are thus nearly ready to start clinical trials of our Tg rice for the treatment of Japanese cedar pollinosis.