Murine model of peanut allergy

Murine experiments were approved by the University of Colorado Denver Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Female, three-week old C3H/HeJ mice (Jackson Laboratories) were maintained on a PN- and soy-free diet. Mice were sensitized at five weeks of age with 1 mg of CPE plus 20 μg of cholera toxin (List Biological Laboratories, Inc.) given by oral gavage once per week for four weeks. Challenge occurred 2 weeks later with 250 μg of CPE through intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. Symptom scores and changes in body temperatures were measured as previously described [32] 30 minutes post-i.p. injection.