An interdisciplinary approach to characterize peanut-allergic patients - first data from the FOOD@ consortium

Background: Peanut allergy is a frequent cause of food allergy and potentially life-threatening.Within this interdisciplinary research approach, we aim to unravel the complex mechanisms of peanut allergy. As a first step were applied in an exploratory manner the analysis of peanut allergic versus non-allergic controls.Methods: Biosamples were studied regarding DNA methylation signatures, gut microbiome, adaptive and innate immune cell populations, soluble signaling molecules and allergen-reactive antibody specificities. We applied a scalable systems medicine computational workflow to the assembled data.Results: We identified combined cellular and soluble biomarker signatures that stratify donors into peanut-allergic and non-allergic with high specificity. DNA methylation profiling revealed various genes of interest and stool microbiota differences in bacteria abundances. Conclusion: By extending our findings to a larger set of patients (e.g. children versus adults), we will establish predictors for food allergy and tolerance and translate these as e.g. indicators for interventional studies.