The role of human milk nutrients in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an intestinal disease that primarily impacts preterm infants. The pathophysiology of NEC involves a complex interplay of factors that result in a deleterious immune response, injury to the intestinal mucosa, and in its most severe form, irreversible intestinal necrosis. Treatments for NEC remain limited, but one of the most effective preventative strategies for NEC is the provision of breast milk feeds. In this review, we discuss mechanisms by which bioactive nutrients in breast milk impact neonatal intestinal physiology and the development of NEC. We also review experimental models of NEC that have been used to study the role of breast milk components in disease pathophysiology. These models are necessary to accelerate mechanistic research and improve outcomes for neonates with NEC.

Kinetics of basophil hyporesponsiveness during short-course peanut oral immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Oral immunotherapy (OIT) leads to suppression of mast cell and basophil degranulation along with changes in the adaptive immune response. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine how rapidly these effects occur during OIT and more broadly, the kinetics of basophil and mast cell suppression throughout the course of therapy. METHODS: Twenty participants, age 4 to 12 years, were enrolled in a peanut OIT trial and assessed for desensitization and sustained unresponsiveness after 9 months of therapy. Blood was collected 5 times in the first month and then intermittently throughout to quantify immunoglobulins and assess basophil activation by CD63, CD203c, and phosphorylated SYK (pSYK). RESULTS: Twelve of 16 participants that completed the trial were desensitized after OIT, with 9 achieving sustained unresponsiveness after discontinuing OIT for 4 weeks. Basophil hyporesponsiveness, defined by lower CD63 expression, was detected as early as day 90. pSYK was correlated with CD63 expression, and there was a significant decrease in pSYK by day 250. CD203c expression remained unchanged throughout therapy. Interestingly, although basophil activation was decreased across the cohort during OIT, basophil activation did not correlate with individual clinical outcomes. Serum peanut-specific IgG4 and IgA increased throughout therapy, whereas IgE remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Suppression of basophil activation occurs within the first 90 days of peanut OIT, ultimately leading to suppression of signaling through pSYK.

Necrotizing enterocolitis: Bench to bedside approaches and advancing our understanding of disease pathogenesis.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating, multifactorial disease mainly affecting the intestine of premature infants. Recent discoveries have significantly enhanced our understanding of risk factors, as well as, cellular and genetic mechanisms of this complex disease. Despite these advancements, no essential, single risk factor, nor the mechanism by which each risk factor affects NEC has been elucidated. Nonetheless, recent research indicates that maternal factors, antibiotic exposure, feeding, hypoxia, and altered gut microbiota pose a threat to the underdeveloped immunity of preterm infants. Here we review predisposing factors, status of unwarranted immune responses, and microbial pathogenesis in NEC based on currently available scientific evidence. We additionally discuss novel techniques and models used to study NEC and how this research translates from the bench to the bedside into potential treatment strategies.

Model of Walnut Allergy in CC027/GeniUnc Mice Recapitulates Key Features of Human Disease.

Tree nut allergies affect 1% of the United States population, are often severe in nature and rarely outgrown. Despite the severity and prevalence, there are no FDA-approved treatments for tree nut allergy. Development of a therapeutic would be expedited by having a mouse model that mimics the human disease. We utilized the CC027/GeniUnc mouse strain, which was previously identified as an orally reactive model of peanut allergy, to develop a model of walnut allergy. Mice were sensitized with walnut and cholera toxin for 4 weeks and subsequently challenged by oral gavage. Blood samples were collected to measure serum IgE. Walnut-sensitized mice produced high levels of walnut-IgE and were cross-sensitized to pecan. Oral challenges with walnut resulted in severe anaphylaxis and accompanying allergic symptoms. Importantly, pecan challenges also led to severe allergic reactions, indicating cross-reactivity to pecan. Overall, this novel mouse model reproduces key characteristics of human walnut allergy, which provides a platform to develop novel therapies and better understand sensitization mechanisms.

Fecal IgA, Antigen Absorption, and Gut Microbiome Composition Are Associated With Food Antigen Sensitization in Genetically Susceptible Mice.

Food allergy is a potentially fatal disease affecting 8% of children and has become increasingly common in the past two decades. Despite the prevalence and severe nature of the disease, the mechanisms underlying sensitization remain to be further elucidated. The Collaborative Cross is a genetically diverse panel of inbred mice that were specifically developed to study the influence of genetics on complex diseases. Using this panel of mouse strains, we previously demonstrated CC027/GeniUnc mice, but not C3H/HeJ mice, develop peanut allergy after oral exposure to peanut in the absence of a Th2-skewing adjuvant. Here, we investigated factors associated with sensitization in CC027/GeniUnc mice following oral exposure to peanut, walnut, milk, or egg. CC027/GeniUnc mice mounted antigen-specific IgE responses to peanut, walnut and egg, but not milk, while C3H/HeJ mice were not sensitized to any antigen. Naïve CC027/GeniUnc mice had markedly lower total fecal IgA compared to C3H/HeJ, which was accompanied by stark differences in gut microbiome composition. Sensitized CC027/GeniUnc mice had significantly fewer CD3+ T cells but higher numbers of CXCR5+ B cells and T follicular helper cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes compared to C3H/HeJ mice, which is consistent with their relative immunoglobulin production. After oral challenge to the corresponding food, peanut- and walnut-sensitized CC027/GeniUnc mice experienced anaphylaxis, whereas mice exposed to milk and egg did not. Ara h 2 was detected in serum collected post-challenge from peanut-sensitized mice, indicating increased absorption of this allergen, while Bos d 5 and Gal d 2 were not detected in mice exposed to milk and egg, respectively. Machine learning on the change in gut microbiome composition as a result of food protein exposure identified a unique signature in CC027/GeniUnc mice that experienced anaphylaxis, including the depletion of Akkermansia. Overall, these results demonstrate several factors associated with enteral sensitization in CC027/GeniUnc mice, including diminished total fecal IgA, increased allergen absorption and altered gut microbiome composition. Furthermore, peanuts and tree nuts may have inherent properties distinct from milk and eggs that contribute to allergy.

USP6 oncogene promotes Wnt signaling by deubiquitylating Frizzleds.

The Wnt signaling pathways play pivotal roles in carcinogenesis. Modulation of the cell-surface abundance of Wnt receptors is emerging as an important mechanism for regulating sensitivity to Wnt ligands. Endocytosis and degradation of the Wnt receptors Frizzled (Fzd) and lipoprotein-related protein 6 (LRP6) are regulated by the E3 ubiquitin ligases zinc and ring finger 3 (ZNRF3) and ring finger protein 43 (RNF43), which are disrupted in cancer. In a genome-wide small interfering RNA screen, we identified the deubiquitylase ubiquitin-specific protease 6 (USP6) as a potent activator of Wnt signaling. USP6 enhances Wnt signaling by deubiquitylating Fzds, thereby increasing their cell-surface abundance. Chromosomal translocations in nodular fasciitis result in USP6 overexpression, leading to transcriptional activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Inhibition of Wnt signaling using Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) or a Porcupine (PORCN) inhibitor significantly decreased the growth of USP6-driven xenograft tumors, indicating that Wnt signaling is a key target of USP6 during tumorigenesis. Our study defines an additional route to ectopic Wnt pathway activation in human disease, and identifies a potential approach to modulate Wnt signaling for therapeutic benefit.

Current Options for the Treatment of Food Allergy.

Food allergy is increasing in prevalence; as a result, there is intense focus on developing safe and effective therapies. Current methods of specific immunotherapy include oral, sublingual, and epicutaneous, while nonspecific methods that have been investigated include: Chinese herbal medicine, probiotics, and anti-IgE antibodies. Although some studies have demonstrated efficacy in inducing desensitization, questions regarding safety and the potential for achieving immune tolerance remain. Although some of these therapies demonstrate promise, further investigation is required before their incorporation into routine clinical practice.