Evaluation of Allergic Reactions and Tolerance with Fruit and Vegetable Allergy in Children.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the increasing prevalence of fruit and vegetable allergies in childhood over the past decades, the clinical course of reaction types and tolerance remain unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical course, demographic characteristics, and tolerance rate of allergic reactions induced by fruits or vegetables. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study on patients who presented with suspected allergic reactions to fruit or vegetables. We used patient records to identify demographic data, skin prick test, prick-to-prick test, and oral food challenge test results and laboratory findings. RESULTS: The study included 78 children with a median age of 61.5 months. Class 1 and 2 allergies were found in 65 and 13 cases, respectively. The most common allergens were potato (21.8%), banana (15.4%), peach (14.1%), and tomato (12.8%). Clinical symptoms included urticaria (75.6%), oral allergy syndrome (15.4%), angioedema (7.7%), and anaphylaxis (1.3%). Thirteen children achieved tolerance, while 61.7% did not. The median time to tolerance was 13.5 months after diagnosis, with a minimum of 9 months. Significant differences in reaction type, clinical presentation, pan-allergy to aeroallergens, and serum total IgE levels were found between the tolerant and non-tolerant groups (p = 0.006, 0.009, 0.005, and 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to provide guidance on the tolerance rate and resolution time of fruit and vegetable allergies based on demographic and diagnostic parameters. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of fruit and vegetable allergy.

Lactic Acid Bacteria-Derived Exopolysaccharides Mitigate the Oxidative Response via the NRF2-KEAP1 Pathway in PC12 Cells.

Parabiotics, including L-EPSs, have been administered to patients with neurodegenerative disorders. However, the antioxidant properties of L-EPSs against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells have not been studied. Herein, we aimed to investigate the antioxidant properties of the L-EPSs, their plausible targets, and their mechanism of action. We first determined the amount of L-EPSs in Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus B3 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum GD2 using spectrophotometry. Afterwards, we studied their effects on TDH, TOS/TAS, antioxidant enzyme activities, and intracellular ROS level. Finally, we used qRT-PCR and ELISA to determine the effects of L-EPSs on the NRF2-KEAP1 pathway. According to our results, the L-EPS groups exhibited significantly higher total thiol activity, native thiol activity, disulfide activity, TAS levels, antioxidant enzyme levels, and gene expression levels (GCLC, HO-1, NRF2, and NQO1) than did the H2O2 group. Additionally, the L-EPS groups caused significant reductions in TOS levels and KEAP1 gene expression levels compared with those in the H2O2 group. Our results indicate that H2O2-induced oxidative stress was modified by L-EPSs. Thus, we revealed that L-EPSs, which regulate H2O2-induced oxidative stress, could have applications in the field of neurochemistry.

The relationship of early- and late-onset Alzheimer's disease genes with COVID-19.

Individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases have been exposed to excess risk by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19's main manifestations include high body temperature, dry cough, and exhaustion. Nevertheless, some affected individuals may have an atypical presentation at diagnosis but suffer neurological signs and symptoms as the first disease manifestation. These findings collectively show the neurotropic nature of SARS-CoV-2 virus and its ability to involve the central nervous system. In addition, Alzheimer's disease and COVID-19 has a number of common risk factors and comorbid conditions including age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, and the expression of APOE ε4. Until now, a plethora of studies have examined the COVID-19 disease but only a few studies has yet examined the relationship of COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease as risk factors of each other. This review emphasizes the recently published evidence on the role of the genes of early- or late-onset Alzheimer's disease in the susceptibility of individuals currently suffering or recovered from COVID-19 to Alzheimer's disease or in the susceptibility of individuals at risk of or with Alzheimer's disease to COVID-19 or increased COVID-19 severity and mortality. Furthermore, the present review also draws attention to other uninvestigated early- and late-onset Alzheimer's disease genes to elucidate the relationship between this multifactorial disease and COVID-19.

Biochemical Evaluation of Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase from Endemic Plant Cyathobasis fruticulosa (Bunge) Aellen. for the Dietary Treatment of Phenylketonuria.

Enzyme substitution therapy with the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) is a new approach to the treatment of patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). This enzyme is responsible for the conversion of phenylalanine to trans-cinnamic acid. We assessed the PAL enzyme of the endemic plant Cyathobasis fruticulosa (Bunge) Aellen. for its possible role in the dietary treatment of PKU. The enzyme was found to have a high activity of (64.9±0.1) U/mg, with the optimum pH, temperature and buffer (Tris-HCl and l-phenylalanine) concentration levels of pH=8.8, 37 °C and 100 mM, respectively. Optimum enzyme activity was achieved at pH=4.0 and 7.5, corresponding to pH levels of gastric and intestinal juice, and NaCl concentration of 200 mM. The purification of the enzyme by 1.87-fold yielded an activity of 98.6 U/mg. PAL activities determined by HPLC analyses before and after purification were similar. Two protein bands, one at 70 and the other at 23 kDa, were determined by Western blot analysis of the enzyme. This enzyme is a potential candidate for serial production of dietary food and biotechnological products.

Biochemical analysis of Centaurea depressa phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) for biotechnological applications in phenylketonuria (PKU).

CONTEXT: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most common hereditary defect of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) enzyme achieving the hydroxylation of phenylalanine (Phe). Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) converts Phe to a harmless metabolite, trans-cinnamic acid (TCA) in plants and PAL enzyme activity is fairly high in plants rich in flavonoids. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed the biochemical analysis of PAL form Centaurea depressa BIEB. (Asteraceae) a flavonoid rich plant. This study may form the main frame of future research efforts for the development of a plant preparation aimed for oral intake in PKU patients in an attempt to enrich their diet by allowing them to ingest some food stuff containing Phe without being exposed to complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PAL was partially purified from the leaves of C. depressa. Enzyme activity was determined in comparison with that of other herbs that reportedly have a high PAL activity. Enzyme optimization was achieved and the PAL protein was detected by western blotting. RESULTS: C. depressa PAL demonstrated high activity (34.9 ± 0.6 U/mg protein). The enzyme was purified by 1.92-fold, which resulted in an activity of 53.30 ± 0.2 U/mg protein. The high-performance liquid chromatography analyzes of the PAL activity both before and after purification were in agreement. Western blot of PAL exhibited a 70 kDa protein band. The optimum pH and temperature are pH 8.8 and 37 °C. The optimum activities under gastric and intestinal digestion conditions were observed at pH 4.0 and pH 8.0, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: PAL activity of C. depressa is high, and does not disappear under different environmental conditions. This enzyme could be used for the development of dietary foods and biotechnological products for patients with PKU.

Allocryptopine Attenuates Inflammatory Responses in Microglial Cells Via TLR4-Dependent NF-κB and p38 MAPK Pathways.

Studies in the existing literature propose that allocryptopine possesses both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, showcasing its neuroprotective effects by potentially mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation. This study aims to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of allocryptopine on various targets and potential mechanisms that have not been previously explored in the literature. Initially, we used MTT and LDH methods to evaluate the effects of allocryptopine on cell viability in BV-2 cells exposed to LPS-induced damage. Subsequently, we evaluated the impact of allocryptopine on pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α), other inflammatory mediators (Cox-2 and iNOS), and p38 MAPK genes and proteins through qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Also, we evaluated the impact of allocryptopine on NF-κB proteins (TLR4, MyD88, IκBα, p-p50, and p-p65) through ELISA assay. Molecular docking analyses were performed to investigate the potential binding of allocryptopine to target proteins (TLR4, MyD88, IκBα, p50, p65, MKK3, MKK4, MKK6, p38, AP-1 (c-Jun and ATF2), IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, Cox-2, and iNOS) associated with the TLR4, NF-κB, and p38 MAPK pathways. Our results indicate that allocryptopine exerts a comprehensive influence on pro-inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory mediators by inhibiting TLR4 signaling and modulating the NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathways. The outcomes of our study suggest that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory efficacy of allocryptopine is intricately linked to the modulation of key molecular pathways associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. These findings highlight the potential of allocryptopine as a therapeutic agent for addressing neurodegenerative diseases by safeguarding neuronal health.

Cocktail of three isoquinoline alkaloids derived from Glaucium grandiflorum Boiss. & A. Huet subsp. refractum (Nábelek) Mory inhibits the production of LPS-induced ROS, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and mediators through the down-regulation of p38 MAPK in BV-2 cells.

Glaucium grandiflorum extracts have traditionally been used to treat brain-related disorders. G. grandiflorum extracts also exhibited inhibitory effects on cholinesterase enzymes, as well as antigenotoxic activity. However, no research has been done on the effect of G. grandiflorum alkaloid extracts on the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In this study we aimed to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of the alkaloid extract obtained from G. grandiflorum as well as the mechanisms responsible for their neuroprotective effects in neuronal damage caused by LPS in BV2 cells. We used LC-MS/MS and 1H, 13C NMR analysis to determine the presence of major alkaloids (allocryptopine, tetrahydropalmatine, and tetrahydroberberine N-oxide (trans-cannadine-N-oxide) in the alkaloid extracts. We used flow cytometry to study the alkaloid extracts' effects on ROS production; we also employed qRT-PCR and Western Blot to analyze the effects of oxidative stress and inflammation-related genes and proteins. ROS production within the cell was inhibited by chloroform alkaloid extract (CAE). There occurred marked CAE-induced reductions in IL-1ß, Cox-2, and iNOS mRNA expressions. We also observed marked reductions in IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expressions with methanol alkaloid extract (MAE). CAE effectively suppressed IL-1ß and iNOS protein levels, especially as in qRT-PCR studies, while MAE effectively reduced IL-6 and TNF-α protein levels. Additionally, MAE was found to be prominent in suppressing the levels of Cox-2 protein, unlike qRT-PCR studies. According to our study findings, oxidative stress brought about by inflammation was suppressed by alkaloid extracts from G. grandiflorum which can be attributed to their suppressor effects on the pro-inflammatory cytokines-mediators, and p38 MAPK. As a result, a drug active substance that suppresses oxidative stress and inflammation has been brought to the neuropharmacological field.

Composition Analysis of Salsola grandis and Its Effects on Colon Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: The success of drug treatment of colon cancer (CC), which is in the top three in terms of incidence and mortality among all cancers, is adversely affected by reasons, such as severe side effects and chemoresistance. Clinical, epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated the need for developing new alternative drugs for the treatment of CC. Plants are an important source of traditional medicines that have proven to be highly beneficial for the treatment of CC. AIM: In this study, we aimed to reveal the antioxidant properties and anti-carcinogenic activity of Salsola grandis methanol extract (SGME) on HT-29. METHODS: For this purpose, we used spectrophotometric methods to determine the antioxidant properties of SGME and LC-MS/MS analysis to measure the phenolic acid composition. We applied 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, the thiazolyl blue (MTT) method, to evaluate its effects on cell viability and ELISA assay, realtime PCR, and western blot method to reveal its effects on apoptosis. RESULTS: Spectrophotometric analyzes showed that SGME has the highest phenolic acid content, inhibits plasma lipid peroxidation and shows chelating activity and radical scavenging activity. Gene and protein expression analysis revealed the effects of SGME treatment on apoptosis genes/proteins. CONCLUSION: These findings showed that SGME has anticarcinogenic activity on CC due to its antioxidant, cell viability- suppressing and apoptosis-inducing properties.

Anticancer Effect and Phytochemical Profile of the Extract from Achillea ketenoglui against Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of Colorectal Cancer (CRC), the search for new antineoplastic drugs with fewer side effects and more effectiveness continues. A significant part of these pursuits and efforts focus on medicinal herbs and plant components derived from these plants. A. ketenoglui is one of these medicinal plants, and its anticancer potential has never been studied before. METHODS: The phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of A. ketenoglui extracts were determined. The phytochemical profiling and quantification analysis of major components were performed by HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS. Cytotoxicity, proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle were evaluated to reveal the anticancer activity of the extract on CRC cells (HCT 116 and HT-29). The determined anticancer activity was confirmed by mRNA (RT-qPCR) and protein (Western blotting) analyzes. RESULTS: A. ketenoglui methanol extract was found to have high phenolic (281.89±0.23) and flavonoid (33.80±0.15) content and antioxidant activity (IC50 40.03±0.38). According to the XTT assay, the extract has strong cytotoxic activity (IC50 350 µM in HCT 116 and IC50 263 µM in HT-29 cell line). The compounds most commonly found in the plant are, in descending order, chlorogenic acid, apigenin, genistin, baicalin, eupatorin, casticin, and luteolin. In flowcytometric analysis, the extract was found to induce greater apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in both cell lines than in both control and positive control (casticin). According to the results of the mRNA expression analysis, the extract treatment upregulated the expression of the critical genes of the cell cycle and apoptosis, such as p53, p21, caspase-3, and caspase-9. In protein expression analysis, an increase in caspase-3 and p53 expression was observed in both cell lines treated with the extract. In addition, caspase-9 expression was increased in HT-29 cells. CONCLUSION: The findings show that A. ketenoglui has an anticancer potential by inducing apoptosis and arresting the cancer cell cycle and may be promising for CRC therapy. This potential of the plant is realized through the synergistic effects of its newly identified components.

Characterization of prodigiosin pigment by Serratia marcescens and the evaluation of its bioactivities.

The aim of the present study is to discover a bacterial pigment providing protection and prevention of neurological damage and cancer development, which can have a role as a non-synthetic food additive in the food industry as well as an active drug ingredient of anticancer drugs and pharmaceuticals for neural injury. Within this scope, Serratia marcescens MB703 strain was used to produce prodigiosin. Characterization of the prodigiosin was carried out using UV-VIS, and FT-IR. In addition, its inhibitory action on AChE and antioxidant activities were determined. The cytotoxic, genotoxic and antigenotoxic activities of the prodigiosin as well as its antiproliferative activities were detected. It was determined that the maximum production of the prodigiosin (72 mg/L). The prodigiosin was found to cause no significant difference in its inhibitory effect on AChE. The prodigiosin was found effective on all antioxidant parameters tested. The IC50 values of the prodigiosin on SK-MEL-30 and HT-29 cells were calculated as 70 and 47 µM, respectively. This IC50 values of the prodigiosin showed no cytotoxic effect on L929 cells. Prodigiosin did not have genotoxic effect alone and also seem to decrease DNA damage induced by H2O2 in L929 cells. The findings of in vitro experimental studies suggest that using the prodigiosin pigment as a drug candidate for cancer and neurodegenerative disease therapy is both effective and safe.

Characterization of lactic acid bacteria derived exopolysaccharides for use as a defined neuroprotective agent against amyloid beta1-42-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a disease characterized by cerebral neuronal degeneration and loss in a progressive manner. Amyloid beta (Aß) in the brain is toxic to neurons, being a main risk factor for initiation and continuation of cognitive deterioration in AD. Neurotoxicity of Aß origin is also linked to oxidative stress characterized by excessive lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, changes in antioxidant systems, and cerebral DNA damage in AD. Furthermore, Aß can induce oxidative neuronal cell death by a mitochondrial dysfunction. Cellular injury caused by oxidative stress can be possibly prevented by boosting or promoting bodily oxidative defense system by supplying antioxidants in diet or as medications. However, most synthetic antioxidants are found to have cytotoxicity, which prevents their safe use, and limits their administration. For this reason, more attention has been paid to the natural non-toxic antioxidants. One of the most promising groups of non-toxic antioxidative compounds is thought to be polysaccharides. This study investigated the characterization and protective action exerted by exopolysaccharides (EPSs) originated from Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus B3 and Lactobacillus plantarum GD2 to protect from apoptotic activity exerted by Aß1-42 among SH-SY5Y cells. We characterized EPSs by elemental analysis, FTIR, AFM, SEM, and XRD. The antioxidant effects of EPSs were determined by the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, metal ion chelating activity, lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity, and superoxide anion scavenging activity method. The protective effects of EPSs were determined by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Mannose ratio, molecular weight, functional groups, surface morphology, and amorphous character structure of EPSs are thought to play a role in the protective effect of EPSs. EPSs reduced apoptotic activity of Aß1-42 in addition to their depolarizing effect on mitochondrial membrane potential in concentration-dependent manner. These observations contribute the inclusion of EPSs among the therapeutic options used to manage various neurological disorders in the traditional medicine in a scientific manner, indicating that EPSs may be promising natural chemical constituents that need advanced research and development for pharmacological therapy of AD.

Clinical and economic results of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections in children.

AIM: This study evaluated the clinical and economic outcomes of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections for the first time between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011 were included in this study. Demographic, clinical, and economic data were analyzed retrospectively. A cost coefficient (total cost/follow-up period) and hospitalization coefficient (duration of hospitalization/follow-up period) were calculated for each patient. RESULTS: In total, 132 shunt infections (mean follow-up, 734 ± 367 days) were evaluated in 51 patients (mean age, 16.6 ± 9.22 months; median age, 3 months; range, 1-88 months; 28 females, 21 males). In 23 patients (45%), shunt infections were seen in the first 2 months following shunt placement. Seven patients died during the follow-up. There was a negative correlation between the age at diagnosis and the hospitalization duration (p = 0.005, r = -0.381). The average cost of hospitalization per patient was 6397 ± 4338 TL. There was a negative correlation between the cost index and the age at diagnosis (p = 0.04, r = -0.292). CONCLUSION: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections have significant medical and economic impacts. Younger the diagnosis of patients, the hospitalization duration and treatment cost were higher.