Neutralizing IgG antibodies are a biomarker of sustained efficacy after peanut oral immunotherapy.

Background: Clinical efficacy of oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been associated with the induction of blocking antibodies, particularly those capable of disrupting IgE-allergen interactions. Previously, we identified mAbs to Ara h 2 and structurally characterized their epitopes.

Objective: We investigated longitudinal changes during OIT in antibody binding to conformational epitopes and correlated the results with isotype and clinical efficacy.

Design of an Ara h 2 hypoallergen from conformational epitopes.

Introduction: Adverse reactions are relatively common during peanut oral immunotherapy. To reduce the risk to the patient, some researchers have proposed modifying the allergen to reduce IgE reactivity, creating a putative hypoallergen. Analysis of recently cloned human IgG from patients treated with peanut immunotherapy suggested that there are three common conformational epitopes for the major peanut allergen Ara h 2.

Immunotherapy-induced neutralizing antibodies disrupt allergen binding and sustain allergen tolerance in peanut allergy.

In IgE-mediated food allergies, exposure to the allergen activates systemic allergic responses. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) treats food allergies through incremental increases in oral allergen exposure. However, OIT only induces sustained clinical tolerance and decreased basophil sensitivity in a subset of individuals despite increases in circulating allergen-specific IgG in all treated individuals.

A 67-Year-Old Man with Pruritus and Dyspnea.

A 67-Year-Old Man with Pruritus and DyspneaThis report tells the story of a 67-year-old man presenting with itching on his back and shortness of breath. Recently diagnosed with metastatic tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma, he came to the oncology clinic to receive a chemotherapy infusion. Using questions, physical examination, and testing, an illness script for the presentation emerges; the differential is refined until a final diagnosis is made.

Immunodominant conformational and linear IgE epitopes lie in a single segment of Ara h 2.

Background: Contribution of conformational epitopes to the IgE reactivity of peanut allergens Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 is at least as important as that of the linear epitopes. However, little is known about these conformational IgE-binding epitopes.

Objective: We investigated the distribution of conformational epitopes on chimeric 2S-albumins.

Food Allergy Testing.

Although the gold standard for diagnosis of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy is an oral food challenge, clinically relevant biomarkers of IgE sensitization, including serum-specific IgE and skin prick testing, can aid in diagnosis. Clinically useful values have been defined for individual foods. More recently, specific IgE to particular protein components has provided additional diagnostic value.

Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocyte Patch in Rats With Heart Failure.

Background: To treat chronic heart failure (CHF), we developed a robust, easy to handle bioabsorbable tissue-engineered patch embedded with human neonatal fibroblasts and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). This patch was implanted on the epicardial surface of the heart covering the previously infarcted tissue.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats (6-8 weeks old) underwent sham surgery (n = 12) or left coronary artery ligation (n = 45).