Structure, Immunogenicity, and IgE Cross-Reactivity among Walnut and Peanut Vicilin-Buried Peptides.

Vicilin-buried peptides (VBPs) from edible plants are derived from the N-terminal leader sequences (LSs) of seed storage proteins. VBPs are defined by a common α-hairpin fold mediated by conserved CxxxCxCxxxC motifs. Here, peanut and walnut VBPs were characterized as potential mediators of both peanut/walnut allergenicity and cross-reactivity despite their low (∼17%) sequence identity.

Successful treatment of neurocysticercosis with albendazole desensitization.

Background: Neurocysticercosis is a growing public health problem in the United States. Albendazole is a mainstay of medical therapy for neurocysticercosis, and here we present a case of hypersensitivity to albendazole leading to life-threatening disease progression.

Objective: To report the first successful albendazole desensitization protocol.

The clinical implications of selective IgA deficiency.

Selective IgA deficiency (SIgAD) is the most common primary immunodeficiency but does not always result in clinical disease. This may in part be due to the definition based on serum IgA, while most IgA is secreted at mucosal surfaces, not amenable to measurement. Clinical complications include increased risk of sinopulmonary infections with bacteria and viruses, gastrointestinal infections with a predilection for , a myriad of autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, hyper- and hypo-thyroidism, Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and rarely, malignancy.

Boiling and Frying Peanuts Decreases Soluble Peanut (Arachis Hypogaea) Allergens Ara h 1 and Ara h 2 But Does Not Generate Hypoallergenic Peanuts.

Peanut allergy continues to be a problem in most developed countries of the world. We sought a processing method that would alter allergenic peanut proteins, such that allergen recognition by IgE from allergic individuals would be significantly reduced or eliminated. Such a method would render accidental exposures to trace amounts of peanuts safer.

Medical Complications of Tattoos: A Comprehensive Review.

Tattoos are defined as the introduction of exogenous pigments into the dermis in order to produce a permanent design. This process may occur unintentional or may be deliberately administered for cosmetic or medical reasons. Tattoos have been around for over 5000 years and over time have evolved to represent a common cosmetic practice worldwide.

Allergenic properties and differential response of walnut subjected to processing treatments.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in walnut allergenicity after processing treatments by in vitro techniques and physiologically relevant assays. The allergenicity of walnuts subjected to high hydrostatic pressure and thermal/pressure treatments was evaluated by IgE-immunoblot and antibodies against walnut major allergen Jug r 4. The ability of processed walnut to cross-link IgE on effector cells was evaluated using a rat basophil leukaemia cell line and by skin prick testing.

Conformational epitope mapping of Pru du 6, a major allergen from almond nut.

Tree nuts are a widely consumed food. Although enjoyed safely by most individuals, allergic reactions to tree nuts, including almond, are not uncommon. Almond prunin (Pru du 6), an 11S globulin (legumin), is an abundant nut seed protein and a major allergen.

Asthma and pregnancy.

Asthma is probably the most common serious medical disorder that may complicate pregnancy. A third of pregnant women with asthma will experience worsening of their symptoms, a third will see improvement of their symptoms and a third will see no change. The primary goal is to maintain optimal control of asthma for maternal health and well-being as well as fetal maturation.

Overview of penicillin allergy.

Allergy to penicillin is the most commonly reported antibiotic allergy. However, most patients who report a positive history of a prior reaction to penicillin are not found to be allergic to penicillin upon skin testing. Often, this history is vague or based on a parent's recollection of an event that occurred in the distant past.

Cloning, expression and patient IgE reactivity of recombinant Pru du 6, an 11S globulin from almond.

Background: IgE-reactive proteins have been identified in almond; however, few have been cloned and tested for specific patient IgE reactivity. Here, we clone and express prunin 1 and prunin 2, isoforms of the major almond protein prunin, an 11S globulin, and assay each for IgE reactivity.

Methods: Prunin isoforms were PCR-amplified from an almond cDNA library, sequenced, cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli.

Macrophage activation syndrome in autoimmune disease.

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a phenomenon characterized by cytopenia, organ dysfunction, and coagulopathy associated with an inappropriate activation of macrophages. Current diagnostic criteria are imprecise, but the syndrome is now recognized as a form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis that is characteristically associated with autoimmune diatheses. The diagnosis of incipient MAS in patients with autoimmune disease requires a high index of suspicion, as several characteristics of the disorder may be present in the underlying condition or infectious complications associated with the treatment thereof.

Ellagic acid and polyphenolics present in walnut kernels inhibit in vitro human peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation and alter cytokine production.

Tree nuts, including walnuts, are important elicitors of food allergy. We examined the ability of walnut kernel polyphenolics and purified ellagic acid (EA) to modulate cytokine production and cellular proliferation from stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). IL-13 and TNF-alpha production decreased while no change was observed in IL-4 production.

Effect of walnut (Juglans regia) polyphenolic compounds on ovalbumin-specific IgE induction in female BALB/c mice.

English walnuts are implicated in severe, IgE-mediated food allergy in humans. We sought to determine if polyphenolic compounds extracted from the edible nut could promote IgE production to a coadministered allergen. BALB/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) with or without alum (AL) or polyphenolic-enriched extract via intraperitoneal injection.

The geoepidemiology of immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

First described in 1735 (Watson-Williams et al., 1958), immune-mediated platelet destruction is a phenomenon of protean associations that has historically varied in its definition. Recently, consensus guidelines were proposed for a standardized system of nomenclature that preserves the acronym "ITP" but encompasses a number of causes of immune-mediated thrombocytopenias, including both primary immune thrombocytopenia as well as such entities as thrombocytopenia associated with connective tissue diseases or cancer.

Food safety.

Food can never be entirely safe. Food safety is threatened by numerous pathogens that cause a variety of foodborne diseases, algal toxins that cause mostly acute disease, and fungal toxins that may be acutely toxic but may also have chronic sequelae, such as teratogenic, immunotoxic, nephrotoxic, and estrogenic effects. Perhaps more worrisome, the industrial activities of the last century and more have resulted in massive increases in our exposure to toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic, which now are present in the entire food chain and exhibit various toxicities.

Clinical significance of complement deficiencies.

The complement system is composed of more than 30 serum and membrane-bound proteins, all of which are needed for normal function of complement in innate and adaptive immunity. Historically, deficiencies within the complement system have been suspected when young children have had recurrent and difficult-to-control infections. As our understanding of the complement system has increased, many other diseases have been attributed to deficiencies within the complement system.

Mold and human health: separating the wheat from the chaff.

The term "mold" is utilized to define the ubiquitous fungal species commonly found in household dust and observed as visible multicellular filaments. Several well-defined human diseases are known to be caused or exacerbated by mold or by exposure to their byproducts. Among these, a solid connection has been established with infections, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, allergic fungal rhinosinusitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and asthma.