Immunoadjuvant and Humoral Immune Responses of Garlic ( L.) Lectins upon Systemic and Mucosal Administration in BALB/c Mice.

Dietary food components have the ability to affect immune function; following absorption, specifically orally ingested dietary food containing lectins can systemically modulate the immune cells and affect the response to self- and co-administered food antigens. The mannose-binding lectins from garlic ( agglutinins; ASAs) were identified as immunodulatory proteins in vitro. The objective of the present study was to assess the immunogenicity and adjuvanticity of garlic agglutinins and to evaluate whether they have adjuvant properties in vivo for a weak antigen ovalbumin (OVA).

Humoral immune and adjuvant responses of mucosally-administered Tinospora cordifolia immunomodulatory protein in BALB/c mice.

Background: In traditional medicine, guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) is considered as an adaptogen with immunomodulatory prowess. A 25 kDa protein from guduchi stem has been characterized as an immunomodulatory protein (ImP).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the intrinsic immunogenicity of guduchi ImP and adjuvant activity using ovalbumin (OVA) as antigen in BALB/c mice.

Immunoassays for riboflavin and flavin mononucleotide using antibodies specific to d-ribitol and d-ribitol-5-phosphate.

Riboflavin (vitamin B), a water-soluble vitamin, plays a key role in maintaining human health. Though, numerous methods have been reported for the determination of total riboflavin (TRF) content in foods and biological samples, very few methods are reported for quantifying riboflavin and its coenzymes [flavin mononucleotide (FMN); flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)] individually. Recently, we have demonstrated that antibodies specific to d-ribitol and d-ribitol-5-phosphate also recognize riboflavin and FMN, respectively, and not vice-versa.

Emerging food allergens: Identification of polyphenol oxidase as an important allergen in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.).

Although many allergens have been detected in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), their identity have not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether polyphenol oxidase (PPO), an important eggplant enzyme, acts as an allergen.

Alleviation of cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in Wistar rats by onion lectin (Allium cepa agglutinin).

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In various traditional medicines, onion has been classified as an immune-boosting food. Recent studies have claimed this property due to the presence of bioactive organosulfur compounds, prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharides and an immunomodulatory protein, lectin (Allium cepa agglutinin; ACA) (Prasanna and Venkatesh, 2015. Characterization of onion lectin (Allium cepa agglutinin) as an immunomodulatory protein inducing Th1-type immune response in vitro.

Occurrence, Functions and Biological Significance of Arginine-Rich Proteins.

Arginine, the most basic among the 20 amino acids, occurs less frequently than lysine in proteins despite being coded by six codons. Only a few important proteins of biological significance have been found to be abundant in arginine. It has been established that these arginine-rich proteins have been assigned important roles in the biological systems.

Characterization of onion lectin (Allium cepa agglutinin) as an immunomodulatory protein inducing Th1-type immune response in vitro.

Onion (Allium cepa), a bulb crop of economic importance, is known to have many health benefits. The major objective of the present study is to address the immunomodulatory properties of onion lectin (A. cepa agglutinin; ACA).

Recognition of flavin mononucleotide, Haemophilus influenzae type b and its capsular polysaccharide vaccines by antibodies specific to D-ribitol-5-phosphate.

D-Ribitol-5-phosphate (Rbt-5-P) is an important metabolite in the pentose phosphate pathway and an integral part of bacterial cell wall polysaccharides, specifically as polyribosyl ribitol phosphate (PRP) in Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The major objective of this study was to investigate whether an antibody specific to Rbt-5-P can recognize the PRP of Hib. D-Ribose-5-phosphate was reacted with proteins in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride to obtain Rbt-5-P epitopes; 120 h reaction resulted in conjugation of ~30 and ~17 moles of Rbt-5-P/mole of BSA and OVA, respectively, based on decrease in amino groups, MALDI-TOF analyses, an increase in apparent molecular weight (SDS-PAGE) and glycoprotein staining.

Recognition of riboflavin and the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b by antibodies generated to the haptenic epitope D-ribitol.

D-Ribitol, a five-carbon sugar alcohol, is an important metabolite in the pentose phosphate pathway; it is an integral part of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and cell wall polysaccharides in most Gram-positive and a few Gram-negative bacteria. Antibodies specific to D-ribitol were generated in New Zealand white rabbits by using reductively aminated D-ribose-BSA conjugate as the immunogen. MALDI-TOF and amino group analyses of ribitol-BSA conjugate following 120 h reaction showed ~27-30 mol of ribitol conjugated per mole BSA.

Identification and characterization of a basic thaumatin-like protein (TLP 2) as an allergen in sapodilla plum (Manilkara zapota).

Scope: Cases of oral allergy syndrome following the ingestion of sapodilla plum (Manilkara zapota) have been reported rarely. As the causative allergens are not known, the main objective of this study was to identify and characterize the important allergens in sapodilla.

Methods And Results: Allergy to sapodilla was diagnosed by case history, skin prick test, and serum allergen-specific IgE.

In silico analyses of structural and allergenicity features of sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) acidic thaumatin-like protein in comparison with allergenic plant TLPs.

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) belong to the pathogenesis-related family (PR-5) of plant defense proteins. TLPs from only 32 plant genera have been identified as pollen or food allergens. IgE epitopes on allergens play a central role in food allergy by initiating cross-linking of specific IgE on basophils/mast cells.

Characterization and gene cloning of an acidic thaumatin-like protein (TLP 1), an allergen from sapodilla fruit (Manilkara zapota).

Background: Allergy to sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) fruit ingestion is rare. An independent study from our group has identified a basic thaumatin-like protein (TLP 2) as the major allergen. The present study was aimed at identifying and characterizing additional allergens from sapodilla.

Promoter analyses and transcriptional profiling of eggplant polyphenol oxidase 1 gene (SmePPO1) reveal differential response to exogenous methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid.

The transcriptional regulation of multigenic eggplant (Solanum melongena) polyphenol oxidase genes (SmePPO) is orchestrated by their corresponding promoters which mediate developmentally regulated expression in response to myriad biotic and abiotic factors. However, information on structural features of SmePPO promoters and modulation of their expression by plant defense signals are lacking. In the present study, SmePPOPROMOTERs were cloned by genome walking, and their transcription start sites (TSS) were determined by RLM-RACE.

Immunostimulatory properties of the major protein from the stem of the Ayurvedic medicinal herb, guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia).

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), a widely used plant in folk and Ayurvedic systems of medicine is well known for its immunomodulatory activity; however, the presence of an immunomodulatory protein (ImP) in guduchi has not been investigated.

Materials And Methods: Guduchi ImP was purified from dry stem powder extract by anion-exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose. Characterization of guduchi ImP was performed by SDS-PAGE, periodic acid-Schiff staining, HPLC, and immunochemical analyses.

Eggplant polyphenol oxidase multigene family: cloning, phylogeny, expression analyses and immunolocalization in response to wounding.

Though polyphenol oxidase (PPO) genes from tomato and potato have been extensively studied, information about PPO genes in eggplant (Solanum melongena) is lacking. The main objective of this study is to understand the structural and functional aspects of eggplant PPO genes. Six eggplant PPO genes (SmePPO1-6) cloned by RACE and genome walking were found to be intronless and correspond to eight eggplant unigenes.

Fructans from aged garlic extract produce a delayed immunoadjuvant response to ovalbumin antigen in BALB/c mice.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is known for its innumerable biological activities including immunomodulation. Aged garlic extract (AGE), an odorless garlic preparation, has been shown to have superior immunomodulatory properties over raw garlic extract. Although garlic is a very rich source of fructans (17%, fresh weight basis), AGE contains only 0.

Isolation, structural elucidation and immunomodulatory activity of fructans from aged garlic extract.

Traditionally, garlic (Allium sativum) is known to be a significant immune booster. Aged garlic extract (AGE) possesses superior immunomodulatory effects than raw garlic; these effects are attributed to the transformed organosulfur compounds. AGE is also known to contain fructans; the amount of fructans in AGE represents a small fraction (0.

Dietary garlic (Allium sativum) lectins, ASA I and ASA II, are highly stable and immunogenic.

The immunomodulatory proteins present in garlic have recently been shown to be identical to the garlic lectins ASA I and ASA II [Clement F, Pramod SN, Venkatesh YP. Int. Immunopharmacol.

Quantification of xylitol in foods by an indirect competitive immunoassay.

Sugar alcohols are widely used as food additives and drug excipients. d-Xylitol (INS 967), an important five-carbon sugar alcohol, is a natural constituent of many fruits and vegetables. The critical reagent for an immunoassay of haptens is the requirement of hapten-specific antibodies.

Identity of the immunomodulatory proteins from garlic (Allium sativum) with the major garlic lectins or agglutinins.

Garlic (Allium sativum), an important medicinal spice, displays a plethora of biological effects including immunomodulation. Although some immunomodulatory proteins from garlic have been described, their identities are still unknown. The present study was envisaged to isolate immunomodulatory proteins from raw garlic, and examine their effects on certain cells of the immune system (lymphocytes, mast cells, and basophils) in relation to mitogenicity and hypersensitivity.

Clinico-Immunological Analysis of Eggplant (Solanum melongena) Allergy Indicates Preponderance of Allergens in the Peel.

Background: : Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is known to cause food allergy in some Asian countries but detailed studies on eggplant allergy are lacking.

Objective: : The objective is to investigate sensitization to different parts of eggplant fruit, and detection of the allergens.

Higher histamine sensitivity in non-atopic subjects by skin prick test may result in misdiagnosis of eggplant allergy.

Eggplant (aubergine; Solanum melongena L.), a member of the nightshade family, is widely consumed as a vegetable. A high incidence of allergic reactions to eggplant appears to be commonly experienced among Indians, presumably due to its high histamine content.

Analysis of erythritol in foods by polyclonal antibody-based indirect competitive ELISA.

Sugar alcohols are widely used as food additives and drug excipients. Erythritol (INS 968) is an important four-carbon sugar alcohol in the food industry. Erythritol occurs naturally in certain fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods.

Reductively aminated D-xylose-albumin conjugate as the immunogen for generation of IgG and IgE antibodies specific to D-xylitol, a haptenic allergen.

Sugar alcohols are widely used as food additives and drug excipients. Xylitol, a five-carbon sugar alcohol, and a low-calorie alternative sweetener to sucrose (approx 40% fewer calories), has enjoyed an enviable record of safety, and allergic reactions to xylitol are very rare. A case of oral erosive eczema to xylitol has been reported recently [Hanakawa, Y.