Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin-1 and Vanilloid-3 Differentially Regulate Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Cytotoxicity in Human Lung Epithelial Cells After Pneumotoxic Wood Smoke Particle Exposure.

This study investigated the roles of transient receptor potential (TRP) ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) and TRP vanilloid-3 (TRPV3) in regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and cytotoxicity in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) treated with pneumotoxic wood smoke particulate matter (WSPM) and chemical agonists of each channel. Functions of TRPA1 and TRPV3 in pulmonary epithelial cells remain largely undefined. This study shows that TRPA1 activity localizes to the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of cells, whereas TRPV3 resides primarily in the ER. Additionally, treatment of cells using moderately cytotoxic concentrations of pine WSPM, carvacrol, and other TRPA1 agonists caused ERS as a function of both TRPA1 and TRPV3 activities. Specifically, ERS and cytotoxicity were attenuated by TRPA1 inhibition, whereas inhibiting TRPV3 exacerbated ERS and cytotoxicity. Interestingly, after treatment with pine WSPM, TRPA1 transcription was suppressed, whereas TRPV3 was increased. TRPV3 overexpression in HBECs conferred resistance to ERS and an attenuation of ERS-associated cell cycle arrest caused by WSPM and multiple prototypical ERS-inducing agents. Alternatively, short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of TRPV3, like the TRPV3 antagonist, exacerbated ERS. This study reveals previously undocumented roles for TRPA1 in promoting pathologic ERS and cytotoxicity elicited by pneumotoxic WSPM and TRPA1 agonists, and a unique role for TRPV3 in fettering pathologic facets of the integrated ERS response. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: These findings provide new insights into how wood smoke particulate matter and other transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) and transient receptor potential vanilloid-3 (TRPV3) agonists can affect human bronchial epithelial cells and highlight novel physiological and pathophysiological roles for TRPA1 and TRPV3 in these cells.

Cacogeusia e ingesta de piñones / Cacogeusia and ingestion of pine nuts

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Is the Profile of Fatty Acids, Tocopherols, and Amino Acids Suitable to Differentiate Pinus armandii Suspicious to Be Responsible for the Pine Nut Syndrome from Other Pinus Species?

Pinus armandii is suspicious to be responsible for the Pine Nut Syndrome, a long lasting bitter and metallic taste after the consumption of pine nuts. To find chemical characteristic features for the differentiation of P. armandii from other Pinus species, 41 seed samples of the genus Pinus from 22 plant species were investigated regarding the content and the composition of fatty acids, tocopherols, and amino acids. The predominant fatty acids in the seed oils were linoleic acid (35.2 - 58.2 g/100 g), oleic acid (14.6 - 48.5 g/100 g), and pinolenic acid (0.2 - 22.4 g/100 g), while the vitamin-E-active compounds were dominated by γ-tocopherol. The amino acid composition was mainly characterized by arginine and glutamic acid with amounts between 0.9 and 8.9 g/100 g as well as 2.1 g/100 g and 8.3 g/100 mg. On the basis of this investigation, a Principle Component Analysis has been used to identify the most important components for the differentiation of P. armandii from other Pinus species. Using the data for glutamic acid, 20:2Δ5,11 , 18:3Δ5,9,12 , 18:1Δ9 , and oil content, a classification of the 41 samples into four different groups by cluster analysis was possible, but the characteristic features of P. armandii were too close to some other members of the genus Pinus, making a clear differentiation of this species difficult. Nevertheless, the investigation showed the similarities of different members of the genus Pinus with regard to fatty acids, vitamin-E-active compounds, and amino acids.

Allergic reactions to pine nut: a review

Pine nut is a nutrient-rich food with a beneficial impact on human health. The many bioactive constituents of pine nut interact synergistically to affect human physiology in a favorable way. However, pine nut can trigger dangerous allergic reactions. Severe anaphylactic reactions to pine nut accounted for most of the 45 cases reported in the scientific literature. Pine nut allergy seems to be characterized by low IgE cross-reactivity with other commonly consumed nuts and a high monosensitization rate. The present review provides updated information on allergic reactions to pine nut, molecular characterization of its allergens, and potential homologies with other nut allergens (AU)

El piñón es un alimento rico en nutrientes con un impacto beneficioso en la salud. Los componentes bioactivos del piñón interaccionan de forma sinérgica para influir en la fisiología humana de una forma favorable. Sin embargo el piñón puede producir reacciones alérgicas graves. Del total de los casos publicados, las reacciones anafilácticas severas representan la mayoría de las reacciones descritas. La alergia a piñón, además, parece estar caracterizada por una baja reactividad cruzada a nivel de anticuerpos IgE con otros frutos secos consumidos habitualmente y por un elevado porcentaje de monosensibilización. El propósito de esta revisión es dar una visión actualizada de las reacciones alérgicas a piñón, la caracterización de sus alérgenos a nivel molecular y sus homologías con otros alérgenos de frutos secos (AU)

Reactive oxygen species induce apoptosis in bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells by inhibiting the antiglycation glyoxalase I defence: involvement of superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide and NF-κB.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in the regulation of apoptosis through a number of distinct mechanisms depending on cell type and stimulation conditions. Glyoxalase I (GI) metabolizes methylglyoxal (MG) and MG-derived advanced glycation end products (AGEs) known to cause apoptosis. This study examined the possible role of GI among the mechanisms of ROS-driven apoptosis in human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells exposed to wood dust and signaling pathways by which these reactive species regulate GI expression. Our results showed that wood dust generated distinct ROS (superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide) by selectively inhibiting the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase and catalase enzymes. These ROS caused a dramatic inhibition of the antiglycation GI enzyme, leading to the intracellular accumulation of the pro-apoptotic AGE, argpyrimidine (AP) and programmed cell death via a mitochondrial pathway. Pre-treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, prevented these events. Hence, ROS-induced apoptosis in BEAS-2B cells occurred via a novel mechanism relying on GI inhibition and AP accumulation. We interestingly found that superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide induced a diverse apoptosis level by differently inhibiting GI via NF-κB pathway. Since maintenance of an intact epithelium is a critically important determinant of normal respiratory function, the knowledge of the mechanisms underlying its disruption may provide insight into the genesis of a number of pathological conditions commonly occurring in wood dust occupational exposure. Our findings suggest that the antioxidant NAC may merit investigation as a potential preventive agent in wood dust exposure-induced respiratory diseases.

Effect of simulated gastric and intestinal digestion on temporal stability and immunoreactivity of peanut, almond, and pine nut protein allergens.

Current models of digestibility utilize pepsin stability to assess the safety of allergenic versus nonallergenic food proteins. Dietary protein digestion in vivo, however, requires acid denaturation and protease cleavage by pepsin, trypsin, and/or chymotrypsin. The ability of this approach to identify food protein stability in the mammalian gut may be limited. We determined the temporal stability and immunoreactivity of almond, pine nut, and peanut allergenic proteins under simulated physiologic gastric and intestinal digestive conditions in vitro. Gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analyses were used to determine protein stability and immunoreactivity, respectively. Peanut, almond, and pine nut proteins were pepsin- and pancreatin-stable and immunoreactive for up to 1 h after initiation of digestion. Moreover, successive acid denaturation and pepsin and pancreatin cleavage were necessary to hydrolyze these allergenic proteins and reduce their IgG- and IgE-binding capacity, which suggests that digestibility models must be improved for more accurate safety assessment of food allergens.

Cacogeusia following pine nut ingestion: a six patient case series.

This is a retrospective case series of 6 patients complaining of a bad taste (cacogeusia) specifically metallogeusia, following the ingestion of pine nuts.(1) The taste arose always within 48h of ingestion, and in all but one patient spontaneously resolved within 14 days. Pine nuts also have a potential for triggering anaphylaxis.(2).

Pine mouth (pine nut) syndrome: description of the toxidrome, preliminary case definition, and best evidence regarding an apparent etiology.

Pine mouth syndrome (PMS), otherwise known as pine nut syndrome, is a relatively new condition. At least several thousand cases have now been described in the literature. The author describes the PMS toxidrome, offers a preliminary case definition, and discusses current best evidence regarding the etiology and risk factors related to the development of PMS.A clinically compatible case of PMS must include taste disturbance, usually characterized as bitter or metallic, following the ingestion of affected pine nuts by 1 to 3 days. Affected nuts would appear to include all, or some portion, of nuts harvested from species Pinus armandii (Chinese white pine), but could include nuts from other species. The specific toxin that is apparently present in affected nuts has not yet been isolated, and the mechanism of toxicity and factors determining PMS susceptibility need to be further detailed. There are no proven therapies for PMS. The only treatment is to cease ingesting implicated nuts and to wait for symptoms to abate.

Dysgeusia following consumption of pine nuts: more than 3000 cases in France.

INTRODUCTION: In March 2008, French poison centres (PCs) recorded the first calls reporting persistent bitterness following the ingestion of pine nuts. METHODS: The French toxic exposure surveillance system (French-Tess) was searched and a descriptive analysis of cases was performed on data recorded from 13 March 2008 to 31 January 2010. RESULTS: Some 3111 cases of bitterness were reported to PCs. The number of cases rose sharply from May 2009 to reach a peak in August 2009 with 697 cases. The median time to onset of dysgeusia was 24 hours and it lasted less than 14 days in 95% of cases. Raw as well as cooked or processed pine nuts were implicated. DISCUSSION: The delayed onset and persistence of dysgeusia suggest that the toxin may act via an unknown toxic mechanism on the receptor. The aetiological agent could be an unidentified toxin present in some varieties of non-edible pine nuts. CONCLUSION: The high incidence of the event and the lack of understanding of the nature of the toxin and its pathophysiological mechanism require continued monitoring of poison cases, botanical and biochemical analysis, and experimental studies.

A review on biological, nutraceutical and clinical aspects of French maritime pine bark extract.

Bark extract of Pinus pinaster has a long history of ethnomedicinal use and is available commercially as herbal dietary supplement with proprietary name pycnogenol. It is used as a food supplement to overcome many degenerative disorders. Rohdewald (2002) wrote the first comprehensive review of extract highlighting its antioxidative nature and its role in different diseases. Later, Watson (2003) and Gulati (2005) in their reviews about cardiovascular health, described the extract as a best neutraceutical agent in this regard. The objective of this paper is to review the current research on this extract in terms of extraction methods, its pharmacological, toxicological and nutraceutical effects and clinical studies. Web sites of Google Scholar, Pubmed and Medline were searched for articles written in English and published in peer-reviewed journals from 2006 to 2009 and sixty-nine research articles were extracted. Of these, two are about extraction advancement and analysis while the rest relate to its clinical, biological and nutraceutical aspects.

[Associating Serenoa repens, Urtica dioica and Pinus pinaster. Safety and efficacy in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms. Prospective study on 320 patients]. / Associazione di Serenoa repens, Urtica dioica e Pinus pinaster. Sicurezza ed efficacia nel trattamento dei sintomi del basso tratto urinario. Studio prospettico su 320 pazienti.

INTRODUCTION: Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) has been employed for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) for several years. Its mechanism of action is believed to be due to antiandrogenic, antiproliferative and antinflammatory properties. An association of Serenoa with the nettle "Urtica dioica" showing antiproliferative activity and the pine "Pinus pinaster" derivative, showing antinflammatory action, has been proposed in recent years. Such an action is hoped to act not only by reducing LUTS but also by preventing the development of prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the years 2007 and 2008, 320 patients suffering from LUTS were treated with an association of Serenoa repens 320 mg, Urtica dioica 120 mg and Pinus pinaster 5 mg, named IPBTRE. This treatment was administered to all patients for a minimal duration of 30 days to a maximum of a year, either alone or in association with antibiotics or alpha-blockers, if needed. Outcome analysis was based on evaluation of symptoms, prostate volume and maximum flow rate (Qmax). RESULTS: From a careful analysis of the data collected in our database, the following observations can be made: ages varied between 19 and 78 years. The patients were affected by BPH in 46% of cases, chronic prostatitis syndrome in 43%, chronic genital-pelvic pain in 7% and other conditions in 4%, the absolute numbers being 147, 138, 22 and 7 patients, respectively. No untoward side effect was reported in any case. Variations in symptom score could be fully evaluated only in 80 of 320 patients (25%), of whom 68 (85%) reported a significant benefit, with special reference to an improvement of pain, urgency, strangury and nocturia. Data on variations in prostate volume, as measured by digital rectal examination, were available in 84 (26.5%) patients. No significant change was observed. Qmax after treatment was measured in 83 (26%) patients. It did not show significant changes from the initial values. DISCUSSION: The association tested in our study appeared to be safe and well tolerated. No changes in flow rate and prostate volume were observed, but a marked reduction of LUTS was observed in 85% of evaluable cases, especially with regard to pain and irritative symptoms. Whether or not such an association may display a prevention of prostate cancer, may be investigated in additional studies.

A not so healthy muesli: a case report.

We present a patient with severe anaphylaxis, angioedema, hypotension and shock. The near fatal allergic reaction was caused by eating yogurt with muesli containing pine nuts. The patient developed an acute infero-posterolateral myocardial infarction due to systemic hypotension and shock. Food allergy to pine nut was demonstrated by dosage of specific IgE to pine nut.

Anaphylaxis to pine nut: cross-reactivity to Artemisia vulgaris?

The use of pine nuts, the seeds of Pinus pinea, is on the increasing in the modern Mediterranean diet. Little more than 20 cases of allergy to this tree nut have been published, and cross-reactivity with pine pollen, peanut and almond has already been reported. We describe the case of a young boy with several episodes of anaphylaxis after pine nut ingestion. Specific IgE to pine nut and Artemisia vulgaris was demonstrated by skin prick tests and in vitro determination of specific IgE, although no IgE to pine pollen or other nuts was detected. Immunoblotting of Artemisia vulgaris and pine nut revealed two matching diffuse bands, just below 14 kDa and 30 kDa. The ImmunoCAP® inhibition assays showed complete inhibition of pine nut specific IgE after serum incubation with Artemisia vulgaris extract. As far as we know, this is the first reported case of documented cross-reactivity between pine nut and Artemisia vulgaris

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Pólenes alergénicos y polinosis en la ciudad de Burgos / Allergenic pollens and pollinosis in the city of Burgos

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido conocer cuáles son los pólenes que con más probabilidad producen polinosis en el área de la ciudad de Burgos. Método: Para ello se realizaron recuentos de pólenes con un colector Burkard, situado en la terraza del hospital General Yagüe. Se analizaron los taxones cuya media fuera superior al 1% del total de los años 1997, 1998 y del 2001 al 2004. Dentro de un estudio multicéntrico del Comité de Aerobiología de la SEAIC para el estudio de la polinosis, se seleccionaron 147 pacientes de ambos sexos, con clínica de rinitis, asma o ambas estacionales, residentes en nuestra área y con pruebas positivas frente a pólenes. Según el método de estudio se realizaron pruebas cutáneas por la técnica del prick con una batería de 25 pólenes. Resultados: Los pólenes alergénicos más frecuentemente encontrados en la atmósfera de Burgos fueron: cupresáceas (38,87%), especies de Quercus (14,51%), gramíneas (13,58%), especies de Pinus (10%), especies de Urtica (4,74%), especies de Platanus (3,49%), especies de Plantago (3,32%), Populus (2,26%), Olea (2,20%) y chenopoidaceas-amarantaceas (1,26%). Comparado con los pólenes anteriores, los resultados de las pruebas del prick en orden de prevalencia fue: gramíneas (91%), Plantago lanceolata (42,86%), Olea europaea (36,05%), Chenopodium album (26,53%), Urtica dioica (24,49%), Platanus hispanica (21,77%), Cupressus arizonica (19,05%) y Quercus ilex (18,37%). Como se observa en nuestros resultados, la sensibilización frente al polen de las gramíneas es la causa principal de polinosis en nuestro medio

The aim of the study was to know the main pollens with a higher probability of inducing pollinosis in the city of Burgos. Methods: For this purpose, pollen levels were measured by a Burkard collector situated in the terrace of the General Yagüe’s Hospital. Taxons with a mean above 1% of total during 1997, 1998 and 2001-2004 were analyzed. As part of a multicentric study from the SEAIC’s Aerobiology Committee for the study of pollinosis, 147 patients of both sexes with symptoms of seasonal rhinitis and/or asthma, resident in our area and with positive tests to pollens were selected. According to the study’s methodology, prick tests were performed with a panel of 25 pollens. Results: The allergenic pollens more prevalent in the atmosphere of Burgos were: cuppressus (38.87%), Quercus spp (14.51%), grasses (13.58%), Pinus spp (10%), Urtica spp (4.74%), Platanus spp (3.49%), Plantago spp (3.32%), Populus (2.26%), Olea (2.20%) y Chenopoidaceae- Amarantaceae (1.26%). Comparing with previous pollens, the results of prick tests were in order of prevalence: grass (91%), Plantago lanceolata (42.86%), Olea europaea (36.05%), Chenopodium album (26.53%), Urtica dioica (24.49%), Platanus hispanica (21.77%), Cupressus arizonica (19.05%) and Quercus ilex (18.37%). As we can infer from our results, sensitization to grass pollens constitutes the major cause of pollinosis en our area