Publications by authors named "Ruethers T"

Small calcium-binding proteins such as parvalbumins (PVs) are major seafood and fish allergens. However, the impact of structural changes on their capacity to bind IgE has not been studied in detail. Therefore, fish and reptilian PVs, as well as human α-PV, were selected for biochemical, structural, and IgE binding studies.

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Integrated bioinformatics tools have created more efficient and robust methods to overcome in vitro challenges and have been widely utilized for the investigation of food proteins and the generation of peptide sequences. This study aimed to analyze the physicochemical properties and bioactivities of novel peptides derived from hydrolyzed milkfish () protein sequences and to discover their potential angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)- and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPPIV)-inhibitory activities using machine learning-based tools, including BIOPEP-UWM, PeptideRanker, and the molecular docking software HADDOCK 2.4.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study focuses on characterizing parvalbumin from the spotted seabass, a significant allergenic fish species in China, known for triggering food allergies.
  • - Two specific proteins were identified as parvalbumins, showing strong IgE-binding capabilities; one of them, β-parvalbumin, consists of 109 amino acids and has a weight of 11.5 kDa.
  • - The research also discovered that the produced anti-parvalbumin antibody recognized allergens across 26 different fish species, indicating cross-reactivity and enhancing methods for allergen identification and diagnosis.
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Scope: Edible insect proteins are increasingly introduced as an alternative sustainable food source to address the world's need to feed the growing population. Tropomyosin is the main insect allergen; however, additional potential allergens are not well characterized and the impact of extraction procedures on immunological reactivity is unknown.

Methods And Results: Proteins from different commercial food products derived from cricket (Acheta domesticus) and black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens) are extracted using five different extraction buffers.

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Mung bean is an increasingly cultivated legume. This study compared mung bean varieties 'KPS2' from Thailand (Th) and 'Imara' from Tanzania (T) with a focus on protein composition, allergenicity, and techno-functional properties. Two rounds alkaline-acid extraction were performed to produce mung bean protein isolate (MBPI - Th/T and Th/T), supernatant (S) and protein-poor residue (PPR).

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Article Synopsis
  • Accurate food labeling is crucial for consumers with shellfish allergies, given the prevalence of shellfish ingredients in food products.
  • Most detection methods focus on the allergenic protein tropomyosin, but its effectiveness can vary based on the shrimp's origin.
  • This study found significant differences in allergen profiles of Black Tiger Shrimp from different Asia-Pacific locations, indicating that shrimp origin can influence the detection of allergens in commercial tests.
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Shellfish allergy affects ~2.5% of the global population and is a type I immune response resulting from exposure to crustacean and/or molluscan proteins. The Australian Redclaw crayfish () is a freshwater species endemic to and farmed in northern Australia and is becoming an aquaculture species of interest globally.

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Background: Major fish allergens, including parvalbumin (PV), are heat stable and can withstand extensive cooking processes. Thus, the management of fish allergy generally relies on complete avoidance. Fish-allergic patients may be advised to consume canned fish, as some fish-allergic individuals have reported tolerance to canned fish.

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  • The study reveals that fish-allergic patients may react to crocodile meat due to the presence of parvalbumin (PV), a common fish allergen.
  • Eight out of twelve fish-allergic patients tested showed positive skin reactions to heated crocodile preparation, indicating significant IgE binding.
  • Crocodile parvalbumin isoforms have been registered as the first reptile allergens, suggesting that individuals with fish allergies should consult specialists before eating crocodile.
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  • The Pacific oyster is a popular shellfish often eaten raw but can cause food allergies, with limited understanding of its allergens and diagnosis, particularly concerning the most consumed species worldwide.
  • This study analyzed IgE sensitization in 21 patients to raw and heated Pacific oyster extracts, identifying tropomyosin as the primary allergen in most patients and the first oyster allergen recognized by the WHO.
  • The research highlights variations in IgE binding among patients, suggesting potential cross-reactivity with allergens from shrimp and dust mites, which may inform better diagnostic methods and future allergy treatments.
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  • The study aimed to investigate the exposure to bioaerosols in the fish processing areas aboard different fishing trawlers.
  • Samples were collected from 64 fishermen and various stationary points during work shifts on five trawlers, with analyses focused on total protein, trypsin, parvalbumin, and endotoxin levels.
  • Results showed higher personal exposure levels of proteins on older trawlers, with significant findings related to trypsin and parvalbumin, and the highest endotoxin levels occurring during cleaning procedures.
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Despite recent technological advances, novel allergenic protein discovery is limited by their low abundance, often due to specific physical characteristics restricting their recovery during the extraction process from various allergen sources. In this study, eight different extraction buffers were compared for their ability to recover proteins from Pacific oyster (). The protein composition was investigated using high resolution mass spectrometry.

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Background: The IgE- and IgG-binding patterns of the major fish allergen parvalbumins are not clearly understood. IgE antibody-binding to parvalbumin from Asian seabass, Lat c 1.01, is implicated in up to 90 % of allergic reactions, although the region of IgE or IgG4 epitopes are unknown.

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Shellfish allergy affects 2% of the world's population and persists for life in most patients. The diagnosis of shellfish allergy, in particular shrimp, is challenging due to the similarity of allergenic proteins from other invertebrates. Despite the clinical importance of immunological cross-reactivity among shellfish species and between allergenic invertebrates such as dust mites, the underlying molecular basis is not well understood.

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Background: Diagnostic tests for fish allergy are hampered by the large number of under-investigated fish species. Four salmon allergens are well-characterized and registered with the WHO/IUIS while no catfish allergens have been described so far. In 2008, freshwater-cultured catfish production surpassed that of salmon, the globally most-cultured marine species.

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Background: Fish collagen is widely used in medicine, cosmetics, and the food industry. However, its clinical relevance as an allergen is not fully appreciated. This is likely due to collagen insolubility in neutral aqueous solutions, leading to low abundance in commercially available in vitro and skin prick tests for fish allergy.

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Background: Fish is a major food and allergen source, requiring safety declarations on packages. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are often used to ensure that the product meets the required standards with regard to the presence of allergens. Over 1000 different fish species are traded and consumed worldwide, and they are increasingly provided by aquaculture.

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Understanding and predicting an individual's clinical cross-reactivity to related allergens is a key to better management, treatment and progression of novel therapeutics for food allergy. In food allergy, clinical cross-reactivity is observed in patients reacting to unexpected allergen sources containing the same allergenic protein or antibody binding patches (epitopes), often resulting in severe allergic reactions. Shellfish allergy affects up to 2% of the world population and persists for life in most patients.

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The () requires a declaration of the presence of 11 different allergens made through the label on a food product. Most food recalls in Australia are now due to undeclared allergens . This survey determined the extent of undeclared allergens in imported food products on the Asian retail market in Australia.

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The prevalence of fish allergy among fish-processing workers is higher than in the general population, possibly due to sensitization via inhalation and higher exposure. However, the response of the bronchial epithelium to fish allergens has never been explored. Parvalbumins (PVs) from bony fish are major sensitizers in fish allergy, while cartilaginous fish and their PVs are considered less allergenic.

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Background: There is a paucity of data on the prevalence of food allergy (FA) in Vietnam. A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted to evaluate the current prevalence of FA among 2- to 6-year-old children in two different regions in Vietnam.

Method: A structured, anonymous questionnaire, modified from published FA epidemiologic studies and based on EAACI guidelines, was distributed to parents/guardians of participating children in Hue City (urban area) and Tien Giang Province (rural area).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study highlights that commercial fish allergen extracts lack regulatory standardization, which may affect the accuracy of skin prick testing (SPT) for diagnosing fish allergies.
  • Researchers analyzed 26 different fish extracts and found significant variability in protein content and IgE reactivity, with some major allergens, like parvalbumin, missing from several extracts.
  • The findings indicate an urgent need for standardized allergen extracts to enhance the reliability of fish allergy diagnostics and support better patient management.
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  • Clinical reactions to bony fish allergies are primarily caused by β-parvalbumins, while the allergenicity of α-parvalbumins found in cartilaginous fish like rays and sharks is not well understood.
  • Researchers investigated whether individuals allergic to bony fish also exhibit reactivity to rays, using various testing methods to assess sensitization and clinical responses.
  • The study found that most patients tolerated rays, indicating their lower allergenicity compared to bony fish, suggesting that cartilaginous fish could be a safe dietary alternative for those with bony fish allergies.
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Seafood refers to several distinct groups of edible aquatic animals including fish, crustacean, and mollusc. The two invertebrate groups of crustacean and mollusc are, for culinary reasons, often combined as shellfish but belong to two very different phyla. The evolutionary and taxonomic diversity of the various consumed seafood species poses a challenge in the identification and characterisation of the major and minor allergens critical for reliable diagnostics and therapeutic treatments.

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