Allergy and Immunology Commons^™

Development Of A Novel Metallo-Lipid Microparticle Delivery System For A Leishmania Mexicana Dna Vaccine Candidate, Joanna B. Valencia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background and Significance.

The leishmaniases are an important group of neglected tropical parasitic diseases caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania. International health authorities estimate that 350 million people around the world are at risk for contracting leishmaniasis. Two million new cases occur each year and 12 million people are presently infected worldwide. Leishmaniasis is endemic throughout the Americas region including all of Central America, most of South America, Mexico and southern Texas. Leishmania is also considered a threat to the military readiness of U.S. troops deployed to the Middle East or Latin America.

First- and second-line treatments …

Evaluation And Comparison Of The Species-Specificity Of 3 Antiparvalbumin Igg Antibodies, Poi-Wah Lee, Julie A. Nordlee, Stef J. Koppelman, Joseph L. Baumert, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Parvalbumin is a pan-allergen in fish and frogs that triggers IgE-mediated reactions in fish-allergic individuals. Previous studies demonstrated that antibodies raised against fish and frog parvalbumins displayed varying specificity for different fish species, and thus, the applicability of these antibodies for potential use in immunoassays to detect fish residues were limited. We aimed to determine the specificity of 3 IgG antibodies for various fish species. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and IgG-immunoblotting were used to compare the reactivity of the polyclonal anticod parvalbumin antibody and the commercially available, monoclonal antifrog and monoclonal anticarp parvalbumin antibodies against raw muscle extracts of …

Suggested Improvements For The Allergenicity Assessment Of Genetically Modified Plants Used In Foods, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Genetically modified (GM) plants are increasingly used for food production and industrial applications. As the global population has surpassed 7 billion and per capita consumption rises, food production is challenged by loss of arable land, changing weather patterns, and evolving plant pests and disease. Previous gains in quantity and quality relied on natural or artificial breeding, random mutagenesis, increased pesticide and fertilizer use, and improved farming techniques, all without a formal safety evaluation. However, the direct introduction of novel genes raised questions regarding safety that are being addressed by an evaluation process that considers potential increases in the allergenicity, toxicity, …

Wild Buckwheat Is Unlikely To Pose A Risk To Buckwheat-Allergic Individuals, Julie A. Nordlee, Rakhi Panda, Joseph L. Baumert, Richard E. Goodman, Steve Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a commonly allergenic food especially in Asia where buckwheat is more commonly consumed. Wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus, recently changed to Fallopia convolvulus) is an annual weed prevalent in grain-growing areas of the United States. Wild buckwheat is not closely related to edible buckwheat although the seeds do have some physical resemblance. A large shipment of wheat into Japan was halted by the discovery of the adventitious presence of wild buckwheat seeds over possible concerns for buckwheat-allergic consumers. However, IgE-binding was not observed to an extract of wild buckwheat using sera from …

Identification Of A Novel Cytokine Inducible Stat5 Phosphoserine Site (Ps193) That Positively Regulates Its Transcriptional Activity And Is Found Constitutively Activated In Certain Hematopoietic Cancers, Abhisek Mitra

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hematological malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma, can develop from aberrant changes in the cell signaling molecules to drive their uncontrolled cellular proliferation and differentiation. Activation, maturation, expansion and differentiation of T cells are critically regulated by the dynamics of various transcription factors activated by a variety of cytokines. Additionally, multiple effector molecules that mediate these T cells dependent signals include the JAK (Janus Kinase)-STAT (Signal transducer and activator of transcription) cascade. These signaling proteins are activated in response to a broad array of cytokines. Constitutively activated JAKs and STATs have been described in several T cell malignancies. A growing …

Purification Of Parvalbumin From Carp: A Protocol That Avoids Heat Treatment, Stef J. Koppelman, Roland A. Romijn, Harmen H. J. De Jongh, Julie A. Nordlee, Sander Piersma, Martin Hessing, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Parvalbumin from carp, a major allergen,was purified to homogeneity using ion exchange chromatography and size exclusion chromatography (estimated purity > 95% to 98% based on SDS-PAGE and native PAGE) with a yield of 318 mg, and a number of basic biochemical characteristics were determined. The identity was confirmed by peptide-mass fingerprinting, and IgE-binding was demonstrated. The UV/Vis absorbance spectra were explained using the previously published amino acid sequences. Far UV-CD spectroscopy was used to confirm the folding character of parvalbumin. We conclude that parvalbumin from carp can be purified on a comparatively large (hundreds of milligrams) scale using a purification protocol …

The Association Of Human Leukocyte Antigen(Hla) Alleles And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2dm) Among Mexican Americans (Ma), Kantibhai Motiram Patel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is ranked as a major public health priority across the United States and especially in the El Paso, Texas region. The risk for the development of T2DM is greater in minority groups, particularly among Mexican Americans (MA) who comprise approximately 78% of El Paso's population. The growing incidence of T2DM in this group is typically attributed to increase in weight (obesity). The incidence of diabetes may also be influenced by genetic factors that are unique to this group. Several earlier studies have identified genetic markers for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). These …

In-Vivo Delivery Of Dna Vaccines Using Metallo-Lipid Nanoparticles, Clarissa Sara Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

There has been a rapidly growing area of research in the design and synthesis of molecules that self-organize in water to form functional nanosystems and due to the high interest in the area metal ligand complexes were tested as drug delivery systems with a Leishmania vaccine. Herein, we present the design, synthesis and functional activity of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes that self-assemble in water to form spherical nanoscale structures that exhibit an affinity to bind DNA and deliver it into eukaryotic cells with a high percent efficiency in-vitro. In order to assess the effectiveness of these nanoparticles to deliver DNA …

Lupine Allergy: Not Simply Cross-Reactivity With Peanut Or Soy, Kim A. B. M. Peeters, Julie A. Nordlee, André H. Penninks, Lingyun Chen, Richard E. Goodman, Carla A. F. M. Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Sue L. Hefle, Steve L. Taylor, André C. Knulst

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Reports of lupine allergy are increasing as its use in food products increases. Lupine allergy might be the consequence of cross-reactivity after sensitization to peanut or other legumes or de novo sensitization. Lupine allergens have not been completely characterized.

Objectives: We sought to identify allergens associated with lupine allergy, evaluate potential cross-reactivity with peanut, and determine eliciting doses (EDs) for lupine allergy by using double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges.

Methods: Six patients with a history of allergic reactions to lupine flour were evaluated by using skin prick tests, CAP tests, and double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges. Three of …

Bronchial Airway Epithelial Cell Denudation In The Pathogenesis Of Asthma: The Role Of Il-4 And Il-13, Gail Ramirez-Icaza

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Asthma is characterized by infiltration and shedding of the bronchial epithelium. The Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 are involved in the cellular recruitment and infiltration seen in asthma. The effects ofIL-4 and IL-13 on cell-matrix interactions, gap formation, increased monolayer permeability and epithelial shedding are unknown. Experiments described in this report test the hypothesis that bronchial airway epithelial cells (BAEC) express paxillin, a structural focal adhesion protein, and down-regulation of paxillin by Th2 cytokines lead to BAEC hyperpermeability. Furthermore, the hypothesis that the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 could down-regulate the adherens junction proteins Pcatenin and E-cadherin in BAEC, and …

Presentation Of Allergen In Different Food Preparations Affects The Nature Of The Allergic Reaction: A Case Series, K. E. C. Grimshaw, R. M. King, Julie A. Nordlee, S. L. Hefle, John O. Warner, J. O.'B. Hourihane

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Characterization of fatal and nonfatal reactions to food indicates that the majority of reactions are due to the ingestion of prepared foods rather than the nonprocessed allergen. In an ongoing study that used a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge to investigate peanut allergy and clinical symptoms, the observed reaction severity in four of the first six subjects was greater than anticipated. We hypothesized that this was due to differences in the composition of the challenge vehicle.

Objective: The aim was to investigate whether the severity of observed challenge reactions would be repeated on rechallenge with a lower fat …

The Immunology Of Parturition, Ari Mayer Mackler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Macrophage-derived factors have been implicated in the etiology of preterm labor but little is known about trafficking of this immune cell into the uterus or its regulation of uterine contractility in mice. Enhanced number and activation of macrophages was hypothesized to precede parturition. Studies characterized contractile activity and the distribution of macrophages in the uterus of C3/HeN mice before and after term (=day 19). Contractile activity by uterine strips on days 15 and 18 of pregnancy, the day of delivery, and 1 day postpartum indicate that an endogenous oscillator sustains high frequency contractions. Modest acceleration of the pacemaker occurred before …

An Evaluation Of The Sensitivity Of Subjects With Peanut Allergy To Very Low Doses Of Peanut Protein: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Food Challenge Study, Jonathan O'B. Hourihane, Sally A. Kilburn, Julie A. Nordlee, Susan L. Hefle, Steve L. Taylor, John O. Warner

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The minimum dose of food protein to which subjects with food allergy have reacted in double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges is between 50 and 100 mg. However, subjects with peanut allergy often report severe reactions after minimal contact with peanuts, even through intact skin.

Objective: We sought to determine whether adults previously proven by challenge to be allergic to peanut react to very low doses of peanut protein.

Methods: We used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge of 14 subjects allergic to peanuts with doses of peanut ranging from 10 μg to 50 mg, administered in the form of …

Identification Of A Brazil-Nut Allergen In Transgenic Soybeans, Julie A. Nordlee, Steve L. Taylor, Jeffrey A. Townsend, Laurie A. Thomas, Robert K. Bush

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: The nutritional quality of soybeans (Glycine max) is compromised by a relative deficiency of methionine in the protein fraction of the seeds. To improve the nutritional quality, methionine-rich 2S albumin from the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) has been introduced into transgenic soybeans. Since the Brazil nut is a known allergenic food, we assessed the allergenicity of the 2S albumin.

Methods: The ability of proteins in transgenic and nontransgenic soybeans, Brazil nuts, and purified 2S albumin to bind to IgE in serum from subjects allergic to Brazil nuts was determined by radioallergosorbent tests (four …

A Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Elisa) For The Quantitation Of Peanut In Foods, S. L. Taylor, Julie A. Nordlee, S. L. Hefle

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Peanuts are one of the most allergenic foods known. Strict avoidance of peanut by peanut-allergic individuals is difficult and often unsuccessful. Peanut proteins have previously been found in nonpeanut foodstuffs prepared on shared processing equipment, and such carryover contamination increases the risk of occurrence of allergic reactions. Immunoassays offer a specific, sensitive, and rapid technique to detect and quantitate small amounts of proteins in food systems.

A sandwich-type, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of peanut protein in foods. Selected food samples were ground and extracts prepared by overnight extraction in 0.01 M phosphate buffered saline, followed …

Allergenic Foods, Susan L. Hefle, Julie A. Nordlee, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Virtually all food allergens are proteins, although only a small percentage of the many proteins in foods are allergens. Any food that contains protein has the potential to cause allergic reactions in some individuals. However, a few foods or food groups are known to cause allergies on a more frequent basis than other foods. At a 1995 consultation on food allergies sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization, a group of international experts confirmed that peanuts, soybeans, crustacea, fish, cow’s milk, eggs, tree nuts, and wheat are the most common allergenic foods. These foods are responsible for more than 90% …

Sensitivity To Sulfited Foods Among Sulfite-Sensitive Subjects With Asthma, Steve L. Taylor, Robert K. Bush, John C. Selner, Julie A. Nordlee, Matthew B. Wiener, Karen Holden, Jerald W. Koepke, William W. Busse

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Eight individuals with asthma who had been diagnosed as sulfite sensitive on the basis of double-blind capsule-beverage challenges were subjected to challenges with various sulfited foods, including lettuce, shrimp, dried apricots, white grape juice, dehydrated potatoes (as mashed potatoes), and mushrooms. Four of these patients failed to respond to challenges with any of the sulfited foods. The other four patients experienced a decrease in pulmonary function on double-blind challenges with sulfited lettuce. Two of three of these patients reacted to challenges with dried apricots and white grape juice; the fourth patient has not yet been challenged with these products. Only …

Sensitivity To Ingested Sulfites, Steve L. Taylor, Julie A. Nordlee

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Sulfiting agents, including sodium and potassium bisulfite, sodium and potassium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, and sulfur dioxide, have enjoyed widespread use as food and drug ingredients. The oral ingestion of these sulfiting agents is now known to trigger asthma in a small subset of the asthmatic population. The best evidence suggests that perhaps 150,000 to 200,000 individuals in the United States may be sulfite sensitive. Although the mechanism of sulfite-induced asthma remains unknown, several possibilities have been considered, including inhalation of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) while swallowing, an IgE-mediated reaction, and a deficiency of sulfite oxidase leading to impaired sulfite …

Prevalence Of Sensitivity To Sulfiting Agents In Asthmatic Patients, Robert K. Bush, Steve L. Taylor, Karen Holden, Julie A. Nordlee, William S. Busse

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Ingestion of sulfiting agents can induce wheezing in some asthmatic patients. However, neither the prevalence of sulfite sensitivity nor the clinical characteristics of the affected asthmatic population are known. In a prospective single-blind screening study, 120 non-steroid-dependent and 83 steroid-dependent asthmatic patients underwent challenge with oral capsules of potassium metabisulfite. Five non-steroid-dependent and 16 steroid-dependent asthmatic patients experienced a greater than 20 percent reduction in their one-second forced expiratory volume within 30 minutes following the oral challenge. Twelve of these sulfite reactors were rechallenged with metabisulfite capsules in a double-blind protocol. Under these conditions, only three of seven steroid-dependent patients …

Soybean Oil Is Not Allergenic To Soybean-Sensitive Individuals, Robert K. Bush, Steve L. Taylor, Julie A. Nordlee, William W. Busse

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

We have previously demonstrated that peanut oil is not allergenic to peanut-sensitive individuals. Seven soybean-sensitive patients were enrolled in a double-blind crossover study to determine whether ingestion of soybean oil can induce adverse reactions in such patients. All subjects had histories of systemic allergic reactions (urticaria, angioedema, wheezing, dyspnea, and/or vomiting) after soybean ingestion and had positive puncture skin tests with a 1:20 w/v glycerinated-saline whole soybean extract. Sera from six of the seven subjects were tested by RAST assay for the presence of specific IgE antibodies to soybean allergens. All patients had elevated levels of serum IgE antibodies to …

Sulfite Residues In Maraschino Cherries, Julie A. Nordlee, Laura B. Martin, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

A survey of 53 samples of maraschino cherries from 14 different processors revealed that total sulfite residues averaged 52.3 ± 44.7 ppm. However, 58.5% of the samples had less than 40 ppm total SO₂, while only 7.6% had greater than 120 ppm total SO₂ indicating that the distribution was skewed in the direction of lower residue levels. Free sulfite residues in the 53 samples were considerably lower, averaging 14.2 ± 7.1 ppm. With free SO₂ levels, 35.8% of the samples had less than 10 ppm free SO₂, while only 5.7% had greater than 30 …

Allergies Related To Mosquitoes, Repellents, And Insecticides, James T.C. Li, Charles E. Reed

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Man's skin response to the mosquito bite exhibits great individual variability. The everyday immediate reaction consists o f a red, or erythematous wheal that lasts only one or two hours. Twenty to 24 hours after the mosquito bite, a delayed reaction of erythema, swelling, and itching may also occur. An individual may exhibit an immediate reaction, delayed reaction, both reactions, or neither reaction. Studies suggest that sensitization to mosquito saliva may be responsible for the inflammatory response. This hypothesis is supported by histologic studies which demonstrate striking infiltration of inflammatory cells at the site of mosquito bites. Severe local reactions …

Allergenicity Of Various Peanut Products As Determined By Rast Inhibition, Julie A. Nordlee, Steve L. Taylor, R. T. Jones, John W. Yunginger

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Extracts of 19 different peanut products and peanut oil were tested for their allergenicity by the radioallergosorbent test inhibition assay using a crude peanut extract from raw peanuts as the standard for comparison. Seventeen of the extracts were able to competitively inhibit the binding of serum IgE from peanut-sensitive patients with the solid-phase raw peanut extract. Peanut oil and the extract from hydrolyzed peanut protein did not inhibit binding, which suggests that these products are not allergenic. The peanut hull flour extract showed a slight ability to inhibit binding, suggesting that this product contains minor amounts of the peanut allergen.

Plants And Asthma, Robert Dunlop Royce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ASTHMA is defined in the dictionary as being a disease characterised by recurring attacks of difficulty in breathing, and the causes are stated to include the inhalation of dust, or the odour of plants, flowers or animals.

Hay fever is a similar condition and this too, is caused by plants, usually at the time of flowering, when large quantities of pollen are produced.