The Role of the Microbiome in Food Allergy: A Review.

Food allergies are common and estimated to affect 8% of children and 11% of adults in the United States. They pose a significant burden-physical, economic and social-to those affected. There is currently no available cure for food allergies.

Fecal microbiome signatures are different in food-allergic children compared to siblings and healthy children.

Background: Intestinal microbes have been shown to influence predisposition to atopic disease, including food allergy. The intestinal microbiome of food-allergic children may differ in significant ways from genetically similar non-allergic children and age-matched controls. The aim was to characterize fecal microbiomes to identify taxa that may influence the expression of food allergy.

Proteomic Analysis in Esophageal Eosinophilia Reveals Differential Galectin-3 Expression and S-Nitrosylation.

Background Aims: Esophageal eosinophilia (EE) can be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), proton-pump inhibitor-responsive EE (PPI-REE) or eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). This study quantified protein expression and S-nitrosylation (SNO) post-translational modifications in EE to elucidate potential disease biomarkers.

Methods: Proximal and distal esophageal (DE) biopsy proteins in patients with EE and in controls were assayed for protein content and fluorescence-labeled with and without ascorbate treatment.

Preclinical development of the green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, as an HIV-1 therapy.

Background: Previously, we presented evidence that at physiologic concentrations the green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), inhibited attachment of HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 to the CD4 molecule on T cells, but the downstream effects of EGCG on HIV-1 infectivity were not determined.

Objective: To evaluate the inhibition of HIV-1 infectivity by EGCG and begin preclinical development of EGCG as a possible therapy.

Methods: PBMCs, CD4(+) T cells, and macrophages were isolated from blood of HIV-1-uninfected donors.

Epigallocatechin gallate, the main polyphenol in green tea, binds to the T-cell receptor, CD4: Potential for HIV-1 therapy.

Background: The green tea flavonoid, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), has been proposed to have an anti-HIV-1 effect by preventing the binding of HIV-1 glycoprotein (gp) 120 to the CD4 molecule on T cells.

Objective: To demonstrate that EGCG binds to the CD4 molecule at the gp120 attachment site and inhibits gp120 binding at physiologically relevant levels, thus establishing EGCG as a potential therapeutic treatment for HIV-1 infection.

Methods: Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to examine the binding of EGCG and control, (-)-catechin, to CD4-IgG2 (PRO 542).

SDF-1alpha regulates HIV-1-gp120-induced changes in CD79b surface expression and Ig production in activated human B cells.

Binding of HIV-1 glycoprotein (gp120) to activated B cells of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected subjects induces increased cell proliferation, cAMP generation, immunoglobulin (Ig) production and downregulation of the invariant chain, CD79b, of the B-cell receptor. We present evidence that the stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha), itself a B-cell stimulant, reversed gp120-driven downregulation of CD79b in CD40- and IL-4-activated purified HIV-1 seronegative human peripheral blood B cells. SDF-1alpha augmented gp120-induced Ig production, downregulated CXCR4 receptor expression, and alone, exerted no effect on CD79b surface expression, reversed the gp120-induced downregulation of CD79b.