Study protocol: The role of milk matrix lipids in programming the immunoreactivity of proteins derived from lactic acid bacteria.

Food allergy is widely recognized as a significant health issue, having escalated into a global epidemic, subsequently giving rise to the development of numerous additional complications. Currently, the sole efficient method to curb the progression of allergy is through the implementation of an elimination diet. The increasing number of newly identified allergens makes it harder to completely remove or avoid them effectively. The immunoreactivity of proteins of bacterial origin remains an unexplored topic. Despite the substantial consumption of microbial proteins in our diets, the immunologic mechanisms they might induce require thorough validation. This stands as the primary objective of this study. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of bacterial proteins on the intestinal barrier and immune system parameters during hypersensitivity induction in both developing and mature organisms. The secondary objective was to evaluate the role of lipids in the immunoreactivity programming of these bacterial proteins. Notably, in this complex, comprehensively designed in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo trial, the immunoreactivity of various bacterial proteins will be examined. In summary, the proposed study intends to address the knowledge gaps regarding the effects of Lactobacillus microbial proteins on inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, and intestinal barrier integrity in a single study.

Gestational Dysfunction-Driven Diets and Probiotic Supplementation Correlate with the Profile of Allergen-Specific Antibodies in the Serum of Allergy Sufferers.

BACKGROUND: Maternal diet has significant effects on development of childhood atopic disease and hypersensitivity development. However, the gestational dysfunctions demanding special diets are becoming a widespread phenomenon, their immunological implications can be manifested in the profile of antibodies in the offspring's serum. METHODS: 153 allergic and 150 healthy individuals were diagnosed for allergy using specific antibody and cytokine immunoassay tests. The medical history of subjects along with mothers' course of pregnancy was completed by allergologist's anamnesis. A self-organizing neural network and multivariate analyses to complex data and pick basic interactions were used. RESULTS: Two significant explanatory modules were determined. The first was formed by gestational diabetic and cholestatic diet, infant formula feeding type, probiotic supplementation and its BMI index, moderate IgE, increased IgG levels of antibodies and single or poly-food allergy type (7 clusters). The second was formed by gestational vegan/vegetarian and elimination diet, maternal probiotic supplementation, sex, high IgE total antibodies and food and mixed poly-allergy to aero- and food-origin allergens (19 clusters). CONCLUSIONS: Significant associations were observed between special gestational diet intake underlying foetal programming and the mechanisms of childhood allergy. The novelty is the positive association between diabetic and cholestatic diet intake and IgE/IgG-mediated food hypersensitivity.

Increased prevalence of eating disorders as a biopsychosocial implication of food allergy.

INTRODUCTION: The study evaluates the impact of biopsychosocial factors involved in food allergy (FA) on the prevalence of eating disorders (ED). For the 5-year follow-up studies, 75 participants (aged 1-14 years) with early-onset FA and 81 healthy peers were included. METHOD: Participants were diagnosed with FA using antibody/cytokine content immunoassay tests. Medical history, including BMI z-scores, was completed using data obtained in response to a validated allergic questionnaire that incorporated the SCOFF and EAT-8 screening questionnaires for ED. FA was confirmed if total IgE was elevated, specific sIgE to food allergens exceeded 0.7 kUA/L and if manifestations were observed. Screening for ED was considered positive if two or more SCOFF and EAT-8 items were confirmed. RESULTS: In the FA+ group, 50% of female participants and 6.7% of their healthy female peers reported ED. An ED+ result was more frequent in FA+ individuals than in their healthy peers (p = 0.046) although the association is weak. In the FA+/ED+ group, 25.3% of the participants were underweight, and 14.7% were overweight compared to their peers where this reached respectively 4.2% and 2.8% (p<0.005). 74% of the FA+/ED+ individuals reported elimination diet implementation and only 15% declared it was medically consulted. The prevalence of ED in the FA+ male group was consistently correlated with lack of confidence in FA issues (r = 0.5424) and in the FA+ female group with applied medical procedures (r = 0.7069; p<0.005). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that participants with FA especially struggling with lack of confidence in FA issues and those following an uncontrolled, restrictive elimination diet are more prone to food aversion and ED than their healthy peers. Applied procedures are necessary, and their neglect is associated with FA deterioration; however, the possibility of ED and biopsychosocial implications development should not be underestimated.

The impact of the matrix of red beet products and interindividual variability on betacyanins bioavailability in humans.

The influence of the matrix of red beetroot products and interindividual variability on betacyanins bioavailability in humans was studied. In a randomized crossover study 12 volunteers consumed red beet juice and crunchy slices containing betanin and isobetanin. Betalains were analyzed by the HPLC-DAD-MS. Urine samples examined after the consumption of both products contained not only native betacyanins but also their aglycones. In case of juice, the highest betacyanins urine excretion rate was observed within the first 2 h (64 nmol/h), while in case of crunchy slices within the period of 2-4 h (66 nmol/h). Among volunteers, the average total betacyanins excretion rate ranged from 18.54 to 67.96 nmol/h and, 13.15 to 63.58 nmol/h for red beet juice and crunchy slices, respectively. In total, approximately 0.3% of betacyanins (ranging from 0.12 to 0.58%) ingested from both products was excreted. The study showed that betacyanins bioavailability from juice and crunchy slices is similar, with the matrix of products consumed having an impact on betacyanins excretion profile, and the phenotype of volunteers affecting betacyanins excretion rate.

Profile and Content of Betalains in Plasma and Urine of Volunteers after Long-Term Exposure to Fermented Red Beet Juice.

The aim of this study was to determine profile and content of betalains in volunteers' plasma and urine after long-term exposure to fermented red beet juice. During 6 weeks, 24 healthy volunteers consumed juice with a dose of 0.7 mg betalains/kg body weight. Betalains were analyzed by means of micro-HPLC-MS/MS. Twelve betalain derivatives were found in blood plasma and urine after juice intake. The highest betalains level in blood plasma (87.65 ± 15.71 nmol/L) and urine (1.14 ± 0.12 µmol) was found after the first and second week of juice intake, respectively. During juice consumption, the contribution of betalain metabolites was higher than that of native betalains, and interindividual variability in profile and content of betalains was observed. Summarizing, it was observed that long-term and regular consumption of the juice causes stabilization of profile and content of betalains in physiological fluids of volunteers, which include native compounds and their decarboxylated and dehydrogenated metabolites.

Does consumption of red grapefruit juice alter naringenin concentrations in milk produced by breastfeeding mothers?

The content of certain ingredients of human milk, such as flavonoids, depend on the types and amounts of plant products consumed and may vary from woman to woman. The aim of the study was to determine to what extent consumption of an average amount of grapefruit juice (250 ml) affected naringenin content in human milk. A total of 14 breastfeeding mothers were included in the study. The subjects remained on a diet with restricted intake of naringenin for a total of five days except on the third day, when they drank a single serving of 250 ml of grapefruit juice. A considerable subject-to-subject variability in naringenin content was observed in both initial and subsequent determinations. Baseline concentration values, which may reflect naringenin content in the milk produced by the breastfeeding mother who eat an everyday (unmodified) diet, ranged from 420.86 nmol/l to 1568.89 nmol/l, with a mean of 823.24 nmol/l. Switching to the modified diet resulted in a decrease in naringenin concentrations to the mean value of 673.89 nmol/l measured 48 hours after the switch. The highest mean values were observed four and 12 hours after consumption of the juice, equalling 908.25 nmol/l (SD ± 676.84 nmol/l) and 868.96 nmol/l (SD ± 665.54 nmol/l), respectively. Naringenin is commonly found in human milk in quantities expressed in nmol/l, and its concentrations vary from woman to woman. Consumption of 250 ml of red grapefruit juice by breastfeeding mothers does not significantly alter naringenin concentrations in their milk.

Exposure of breastfed infants to quercetin after consumption of a single meal rich in quercetin by their mothers.

SCOPE: The exposure to quercetin (Q) has not been studied in breastfed infants whose mothers were consuming a Q-rich diet. The objective of the study was to determine whether plant-origin antioxidant-Q passes from the mother's diet to her milk and to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters of this phenomenon. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eleven breastfeeding women were included in this controlled case study. Volunteers followed a Q-restricted diet for 5 consecutive days with the exception of the 3rd day when they received a single meal providing 1 mg of Q per kg of body weight. Urine analysis showed the presence of Q already in the first collected samples after the test (1.5-4 h), which indicated its rapid absorption from the meal. The Cmax = 68 ± 8.44 nmol/L concentration of Q in the milk was calculated for Tmax = 11.89 ± 3.37 h. It was significantly different (p = 0.007) from 40 nmol/L and (p = 0.016) from 42 nmol/L of Q concentration before and 48 h after the test, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Q was shown to be a component of human milk at the nmol/L level. Infants breastfed by mothers consuming a diet rich in Q are exposed to a dose of approximately 0.01 mg of Q daily.

Bioavailability of cyanidin glycosides from natural chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) juice with dietary-relevant dose of anthocyanins in humans.

The aim of this study was to investigate the bioavailability of anthocyanins from chokeberry juice with a dietary-relevant dose of anthocyanins. Thirteen healthy volunteers consumed chokeberry juice providing 0.8 mg of anthocyanins/kg of body weight. Before and after juice consumption, blood and urine were collected. Concentration of anthocyanins was measured with HPLC-PDA-MS-ESI. Cyanidin-3-galactoside comprised 66% of total chokeberry anthocyanins. Eight cyanidin derivatives were found in blood and urine after juice consumption. The maximum plasma anthocyanin concentration of 32.7 ± 2.9 nmol/L was reached at 1.3 ± 0.1 h after juice consumption. The anthocyanins' urine excretion rate (62.9 ± 5.0 nmol/h) was the highest within the first 2 h. In total, 0.25 ± 0.02% of the ingested anthocyanins was excreted by the renal route during 24 h, mainly as metabolites of cyanidin. According to these observations, after consumption of a dietary-relevant dose of anthocyanins as natural chokeberry juice, anthocyanins and their metabolites were present in plasma and urine of volunteers.

Analysis of selected risk factors of coronary artery disease in a healthy population aged 35-55 years.

BACKGROUND: This report comprises an analysis of results of examinations performed as a part of a cardiovascular disease prevention programme funded by the National Health Fund. AIM: To determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid metabolism abnormalities in an ethnically homogeneous population of males and females aged 35 to 55 years with sense of full health without prior diagnosis of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. METHODS: The study was carried out in the population of a 175,000-resident city during 9 months, involving 1080 subjects (696 females and 384 males) aged 35 to 55 years (mean age - 47.2+/-5.4). The following variables were assessed: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body weight and height, BMI, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol levels. RESULTS: The studied male population had significantly higher blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol levels compared to age-matched females. The female population was found to have a more prominent relationship between increased BMI and blood pressure, blood glucose and serum cholesterol levels than males. Significant differences in favour of females regarding systolic blood pressure, blood glucose and serum cholesterol failed to be present in the obese women subgroup (no statistically significant differences were found compared to obese males). In females aged 45 to 55 years, significantly higher body weight, blood pressure as well as blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were observed than in younger women (35-45 years old). CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity are associated with increase of arterial blood pressure, lipid metabolism disturbances and elevation of blood glucose. The relationship between BMI and studied risk factors was influenced by age and gender. Menopause is associated with increasing body weight and unfavourable evolution of studied risk factors.