Study on the Immunomodulatory Effect of Quercetin Nanoparticles Loaded with Chitosan on a Mouse Model of Ovalbumin-Induced Food Allergy

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 915-920
Author(s):  
Hua Feng ◽  
Xiujuan Xiong ◽  
Qunying Xu ◽  
Zhongwei Zhang ◽  
Jiangao Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
Difficult Problem ◽  
Immunomodulatory Effect ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Th2 Cells ◽  
Skin Reactions ◽  
Th1 Cytokine ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Treatment Of Food Allergy

As a common immune disease, food allergy has become a difficult problem for public health organizations. Food allergies are often accompanied by skin reactions, allergic rhinitis, gastrointestinal diseases, and other complications which can induce anaphylactic shock and even death. However, mechanisms underlying food allergies are not fully understood. Therefore, exploring the mechanism of induction of food allergy is a critical first step toward discovering a future treatment. Here we constructed a quercetin–chitosan nanoplasmid (QT–CS NPs), which can regulate the balance of Th1/Th2 cells, and used it to treat ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergies in mice. The results suggest that compared to natural quercetin, the cytotoxicity of QT–CS NPs was weakened. QT–CS NPs also increased the expression of the Th1 cytokine INF-γ, reduced the secretion of Th2 cytokine IL-4, regulated the balance drift of Th1/Th2 cells in allergic mice, and demonstrated an excellent immunomodulatory effect. Therefore, QT-CS NPs can provide new treatment ideas for the prevention and treatment of food allergy, and this study can lay an experimental foundation for the clinical application of QT-CS NPs.

Future Approaches to Food Allergy

PEDIATRICS ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 111 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 1672-1680
Author(s):  
Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Immunoglobulin E ◽  
Fatal Outcome ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Activation Markers ◽  
Treatment Of Food Allergy

Food allergy affects ∼2% of the general US population, and its prevalence seems to be increasing. Despite the potential for a fatal outcome, no definitive therapies are available for food allergy. This article reviews novel approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of food allergy. Improved diagnostic methods include more precise in vitro and in vivo tests for immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergies, in vitro assays for predicting development of oral tolerance, and novel noninvasive tests for cell-mediated food allergies such as patch testing, cytokine assays, and detection of eosinophil activation markers. Several promising novel immunomodulatory approaches to food allergy are discussed, including monoclonal anti-immunoglobulin E; probiotics; traditional Chinese medicine; and immunotherapy with modified food proteins, peptides, bacterial adjuvants, and immunostimulatory sequences.

scholarly journals Caregiver perceptions and attitudes associated with oral immunotherapy on social media

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 432-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Kochis ◽  
Corinne Keet ◽  
Lauren E. Claus ◽  
Tai Hairston ◽  
Annie R. Links ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Immunoglobulin E ◽  
Oral Immunotherapy ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
Lay Perspectives ◽  
Treatment Of Food Allergy ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background: Caregiver values and preferences with regard to oral immunotherapy (OIT) for treatment of food allergies are not widely reported. Understanding caregiver perspectives is integral to establishing shared decision-making in the treatment of food allergy. Objective: We aimed to understand caregiver opinions that may influence caregivers in their decisions about OIT through social media. Methods: We searched a popular parenting web site for posts related to OIT from December 2008 to September 2019. We applied a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework to review posts for inclusion, performed thematic content analysis to determine common themes, and calculated frequencies for each theme and subtheme. Posts and comments were included if they contained discussions about OIT for immunoglobulin E‐mediated food allergy and were excluded if they were duplicates, comments from an original post from the original user, or comments on a nonrelevant original post. Results: Of 1300 posts and comments retrieved, 174 were included (13%). Most were excluded because they did not directly address OIT for food allergy. Relevant posts could fall into multiple themes and were categorized under three main themes: attitudes (n = 128, “I am scared to do OIT but scared not to!”), logistics (n = 168, “We will be doing this once LO [little one] is a little older”), and questions (n = 32, “How does it work?”). Conclusion: Caregivers communicate with each other through social media, expressing attitudes, logistics, and questions about OIT. Understanding these lay perspectives may help guide clinicians in counseling and engage caregivers in decision-making.

scholarly journals Mouse Models for Food Allergies: Where Do We Stand?

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Schülke ◽  
Melanie Albrecht
Keyword(s):  
Mast Cell ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Mouse Models ◽  
Mast Cell Activation ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Mouse Strains ◽  
Skin Reactions ◽  
Human Pathology ◽  
Th2 Responses

Food allergies are a steadily increasing health and economic problem. Immunologically, food allergic reactions are caused by pathological, allergen-specific Th2 responses resulting in IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation and associated inflammatory reactions. Clinically, food allergies are characterized by local inflammation of the mouth mucosa, the face, the throat, the gastrointestinal tract, are frequently paralleled by skin reactions, and can result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. To better understand food allergies and establish novel treatment options, mouse models are indispensable. This review discusses the available mouse food allergy models, dividing them into four categories: (1) adjuvant-free mouse models, (2) mouse models relying on adjuvants to establish allergen-specific Th2 responses, (3) mouse models using genetically-modified mouse strains to allow for easier sensitization, and (4) humanized mouse models in which different immunodeficient mouse strains are reconstituted with human immune or stem cells to investigate humanized immune responses. While most of the available mouse models can reproducibly portray the immunological parameters of food allergy (Th2 immune responses, IgE production and mast cell activation/expansion), so far, the recreation of the clinical parameters has proven more difficult. Therefore, up to now none of the available mouse models can reproduce the complete human pathology.

scholarly journals IgE and IgG Antibodies as Regulators of Mast Cell and Basophil Functions in Food Allergy

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Kanagaratham ◽  
Yasmeen S. El Ansari ◽  
Owen L. Lewis ◽  
Hans C. Oettgen
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Mast Cells ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Th2 Cells ◽  
Igg Antibodies ◽  
Type 2 Immunity ◽  
Sequential Administration ◽  
Specific Igg

Food allergy is a major health issue, affecting the lives of 8% of U.S. children and their families. There is an urgent need to identify the environmental and endogenous signals that induce and sustain allergic responses to ingested allergens. Acute reactions to foods are triggered by the activation of mast cells and basophils, both of which release inflammatory mediators that lead to a range of clinical manifestations, including gastrointestinal, cutaneous, and respiratory reactions as well as systemic anaphylaxis. Both of these innate effector cell types express the high affinity IgE receptor, FcϵRI, on their surface and are armed for adaptive antigen recognition by very-tightly bound IgE antibodies which, when cross-linked by polyvalent allergen, trigger degranulation. These cells also express inhibitory receptors, including the IgG Fc receptor, FcγRIIb, that suppress their IgE-mediated activation. Recent studies have shown that natural resolution of food allergies is associated with increasing food-specific IgG levels. Furthermore, oral immunotherapy, the sequential administration of incrementally increasing doses of food allergen, is accompanied by the strong induction of allergen-specific IgG antibodies in both human subjects and murine models. These can deliver inhibitory signals via FcγRIIb that block IgE-induced immediate food reactions. In addition to their role in mediating immediate hypersensitivity reactions, mast cells and basophils serve separate but critical functions as adjuvants for type 2 immunity in food allergy. Mast cells and basophils, activated by IgE, are key sources of IL-4 that tilts the immune balance away from tolerance and towards type 2 immunity by promoting the induction of Th2 cells along with the innate effectors of type 2 immunity, ILC2s, while suppressing the development of regulatory T cells and driving their subversion to a pathogenic pro-Th2 phenotype. This adjuvant effect of mast cells and basophils is suppressed when inhibitory signals are delivered by IgG antibodies signaling via FcγRIIb. This review summarizes current understanding of the immunoregulatory effects of mast cells and basophils and how these functions are modulated by IgE and IgG antibodies. Understanding these pathways could provide important insights into innovative strategies for preventing and/or reversing food allergy in patients.

scholarly journals Pathophysiological Roles of Neuro-Immune Interactions between Enteric Neurons and Mucosal Mast Cells in the Gut of Food Allergy Mice

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1586
Author(s):  
Tomoe Yashiro ◽  
Hanako Ogata ◽  
Syed Faisal Zaidi ◽  
Jaemin Lee ◽  
Shusaku Hayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Mast Cells ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Enteric Neurons ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Adenosine A3 Receptor ◽  
Myenteric Neurons ◽  
Mucosal Mast Cells

Recently, the involvement of the nervous system in the pathology of allergic diseases has attracted increasing interest. However, the precise pathophysiological role of enteric neurons in food allergies has not been elucidated. We report the presence of functional high-affinity IgE receptors (FcεRIs) in enteric neurons. FcεRI immunoreactivities were observed in approximately 70% of cholinergic myenteric neurons from choline acetyltransferase-eGFP mice. Furthermore, stimulation by IgE-antigen elevated intracellular Ca2+ concentration in isolated myenteric neurons from normal mice, suggesting that FcεRIs are capable of activating myenteric neurons. Additionally, the morphological investigation revealed that the majority of mucosal mast cells were in close proximity to enteric nerve fibers in the colonic mucosa of food allergy mice. Next, using a newly developed coculture system of isolated myenteric neurons and mucosal-type bone-marrow-derived mast cells (mBMMCs) with a calcium imaging system, we demonstrated that the stimulation of isolated myenteric neurons by veratridine caused the activation of mBMMCs, which was suppressed by the adenosine A3 receptor antagonist MRE 3008F20. Moreover, the expression of the adenosine A3 receptor gene was detected in mBMMCs. Therefore, in conclusion, it is suggested that, through interaction with mucosal mast cells, IgE-antigen-activated myenteric neurons play a pathological role in further exacerbating the pathology of food allergy.

scholarly journals Addressing Common Misconceptions in Food Allergy: A Review

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 497
Author(s):  
Aikaterini Anagnostou
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Specific Ige ◽  
Oral Immunotherapy ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Allergy Prevention ◽  
Diagnosis And Management ◽  
Skin Prick Tests ◽  
Food Specific Ige ◽  
Common Misconceptions

Background: Food allergies are common, affecting 1 in 13 school children in the United States and their prevalence is increasing. Many misconceptions exist with regards to food allergy prevention, diagnosis and management. Objective: The main objective of this review is to address misconceptions with regards to food allergies and discuss the optimal, evidence-based approach for patients who carry this diagnosis. Observations: Common misconceptions in terms of food allergy prevention include beliefs that breastfeeding and delayed introduction of allergenic foods prevent the development of food allergies. In terms of diagnosis, statements such as ‘larger skin prick tests or/and higher levels of food-specific IgE can predict the severity of food-induced allergic reactions’, or ‘Tryptase is always elevated in food-induced anaphylaxis’ are inaccurate. Additionally, egg allergy is not a contraindication for receiving the influenza vaccine, food-allergy related fatalities are rare and peanut oral immunotherapy, despite reported benefits, is not a cure for food allergies. Finally, not all infants with eczema will develop food allergies and epinephrine auto-injectors may unfortunately be both unavailable and underused in food-triggered anaphylaxis. Conclusions and relevance: Healthcare professionals must be familiar with recent evidence in the food allergy field and avoid common misunderstandings that may negatively affect prevention, diagnosis and management of this chronic disease.

scholarly journals Food allergy: knowledge level of food handlers at school canteens

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Liz Martins ◽  
I Estrela
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
School Level ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Knowledge Level ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
High School Level ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
High Knowledge

Abstract Background Food allergy becomes a public health problem whose prevalence in children is increasing. Due to the daily number of children using school canteens, these settings play an important role on allergic reactions prevention, being essential to know the knowledge level of food handlers. Methods This study focused on Portuguese schools of the city of Porto, that daily offer 6500 lunches to children aged 3 to 10 years old. The study was performed in all school canteens having children with food allergies (n = 25). To evaluate knowledge level on food allergy, a questionnaire was applied to all food handlers responsible for meals serving, considering hot topics related to food allergy and cross contamination practices. Each question was scored: 0 (lack); 1 (correct); -1 (incorrect), ranged 0 to 20 points. The knowledge level was converted in a 4-level scale: <50% (non-acceptable); 50-74% (acceptable); 75-89% (good); 90-100% (very good). Results Despite of 44.9% of food handlers presented a good level knowledge, it was observed that 38.8% of participants showed non-acceptable values. The knowledge mean level was 11.9 (±4.1) points. A high knowledge was observed for cooks (13.8±3.0) and canteen managers (20.0±0.0) (p = 0.006), as well as, for a high school level. Only 36.7% of participants had training on food allergy, with no influence on knowledge level (0.610). Participants having training on food safety has a higher knowledge level (13.0±3.9) than food handlers having no training (9.8±3.7) (p = 0.008). The majority of respondents showed to know food handling good practices when exposed to case studies related to food allergy. Conclusions A positive level of knowledge on food allergies was observed for the majority of food handlers. Nevertheless, a high number of participants had no training on food allergy. This work has a potential impact on children's health, awareness for the need to implement regular training actions and surveillance systems at school canteens. Key messages A large number of food handlers showed non-acceptable knowledge levels and no training on food allergy. Professional category influenced knowledge, being important the motivation and training of all employees.

scholarly journals Mothers of children with food allergies report poorer perceived life status which may be explained by limited career choices

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara Lynn Mary Frykas ◽  
Michael Golding ◽  
Elissa M. Abrams ◽  
Elinor Simons ◽  
Jennifer Lisa Penner Protudjer
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Career Choices ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Allergic Child ◽  
Intangible Costs ◽  
Statistics Canada ◽  
Using Data

AbstractPediatric food allergy is associated with direct, indirect and intangible costs. However, it remains unclear if intangible costs of pediatric food allergy influence parental career choices. Using data from 63 parents whose children had been diagnosed by a pediatric allergist with food allergy, we sought to (a) establish perceived life status of families with a food allergic child, and (b) to describe any career limitations viewed as attributable to food allergy. Compared to responding parents whose children had one to two food allergies, those with three or more food allergies had significantly poorer perceived life status (ß − 0.74; 95%CI − 1.41; − 0.07; p < 0.05). Overall, 14.3% of parents (all mothers) reported career limitations due to food allergy. Two of the 7 mothers (28.6%) who reported career limitations due to their child's food allergy fell below Statistics Canada cut-off for low-income, after tax dollars (LIM-AT). One of the three mothers who had changed jobs because of their child's food allergy was below the LIM-AT. No fathers reported food allergy-related career limitations. In conclusion, mothers of children with multiple food allergies reported worse perceived life status that may be partly explained by food allergy-related career limitations.

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