Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common nonfatal disease burden worldwide. Systemic chronic low-grade inflammation has been reported to be associated with MDD progression by affecting monoaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission. However, whether various proinflammatory cytokines are abnormally elevated before the first episode of depression is still largely unclear. Here, we evaluated 184 adolescent patients who were experiencing their first episode of depressive disorder, and the same number of healthy individuals was included as controls. We tested the serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IgE, 14 different types of food antigen-specific IgG, histamine, homocysteine, S100 calcium-binding protein B, and diamine oxidase. We were not able to find any significant differences in the serum levels of hs-CRP or TNF-α between the two groups. However, the histamine level of the patients (12.35 μM) was significantly higher than that of the controls (9.73 μM, P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). Moreover, significantly higher serum food antigen-specific IgG positive rates were also found in the patient group. Furthermore, over 80% of patients exhibited prolonged food intolerance with elevated levels of serum histamine, leading to hyperpermeability of the blood-brain barrier, which has previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of MDD. Hence, prolonged high levels of serum histamine could be a risk factor for depressive disorders, and antihistamine release might represent a novel therapeutic strategy for depression treatment.
Adolescent ; Biomarkers ; blood ; C-Reactive Protein ; Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; blood ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; blood ; complications ; Histamine ; blood ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; immunology ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Male ; Risk Factors ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; blood ; Young Adult

Boiled silkworm pupa is a traditional food in Asia, and patients with silkworm pupa food allergy are common in these regions. Still now only one allergen from silkworm, arginine kinase, has been identified. The purpose of this study was to identify novel food allergens in silkworm pupa by analyzing a protein extract after heat treatment. Heat treated extracts were examined by proteomic analysis. A 27-kDa glycoprotein was identified, expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified. IgE reactivity of the recombinant protein was investigated by ELISA. High molecular weight proteins (above 100 kDa) elicited increased IgE binding after heat treatment compared to that before heat treatment. The molecular identities of these proteins, however, could not be determined. IgE reactivity toward a 27-kDa glycoprotein was also increased after heating the protein extract. The recombinant protein was recognized by IgE antibodies from allergic subjects (33.3%). Glycation or aggregation of protein by heating may create new IgE binding epitopes. Heat stable allergens are shown to be important in silkworm allergy. Sensitization to the 27-kDa glycoprotein from silkworm may contribute to elevation of IgE to silkworm.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Allergens/*chemistry/*immunology ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Bombyx/*chemistry/genetics/growth & development/*immunology ; Epitopes/immunology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity/etiology ; Glycoproteins/*chemistry/genetics/*immunology ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/immunology ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Weight ; Proteomics ; Pupa/chemistry/immunology ; Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis/chemistry/immunology ; Sequence Alignment

OBJECTIVETo establish a food allergy model in Brown Norway (BN) rats by gavage of ovalbumin (OVA) without any adjuvant, and to evaluate this model.

METHODSA total of 20 male BN rats aged 3 weeks were randomly divided into allergy group and control group (n=10 each). BN rats in the allergy group were given OVA 1 mg per day by gavage, and all the rats were treated for 41 days continuously. On day 42, the rats in the allergy group were given OVA 100 mg by gavage for challenge. The rats in the control group were given normal saline of the same volume by gavage. Differences in body length, body weight, and food intake were compared between the two groups on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42. ELISA was used to measure the serum OVA-IgE level and plasma histamine level after challenge on day 42, and the changes in rats' appearance and fecal properties were observed. The model of food allergy was considered successful when the serum OVA-IgE level in the allergy group was no less than the mean serum OVA-IgE level + 3 standard deviation in the control group.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in body length, body weight or food intake between the allergy and control groups at all time points (P>0.05). On day 21, the control group had a significantly higher food intake than the allergy group (P<0.05). On day 42 after challenge, the allergy group showed significantly higher serum OVA-IgE and plasma histamine levels than the control group (P<0.05). The sensitization rate (rate of successful modeling) was 90%. The fecal properties showed no significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSOVA by gavage without any adjuvant can successfully establish the model of food allergy in BN rats and has a high success rate. Food allergy induced by OVA may reduce food intake within a short period of time, but no influence on rats' body length or body weight has been observed.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; immunology ; Histamine ; blood ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Ovalbumin ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred BN

The incidence of allergic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and food allergy) increased gradually over recent decades, and an increasing number of patients are suffering from allergic diseases, thus the rise in allergic disease incidence warrants concern. Researchers have already had a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Mounting evidence has shown that the eosinophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Many systematic studies have been conducted about eosinophils, therefore, this review will provide a summary on recent progress in eosinophils and allergic diseases.
Asthma ; etiology ; immunology ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; etiology ; immunology ; Eczema ; etiology ; immunology ; Eosinophils ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; immunology ; Humans ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; etiology ; immunology

It is known that early childhood wheezing associated with sensitization to allergens, including food, has an increased risk of developing asthma later during school age. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is well known to be associated with asthma. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between silent GER and food sensitization in infants and young children with recurrent wheezing. Eighty-five infants or young children with recurrent wheezing, and no gastrointestinal symptoms, underwent 24 hr esophageal pH monitoring, as well as total serum IgE and specific IgE testing for eggs and milk. Among the 85 subjects, 48.2% had significant GER. There was no significant difference in the GER between atopic and non-atopic recurrent wheezers (41.7% and 50.8%, respectively). The sensitization rate to food (eggs or milk) was 12.2% and 20.5% in the GER and non-GER groups, respectively and showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.34). In conclusion, about half of infants and young children with recurrent wheezing and no gastrointestinal symptoms have silent GER. The silent GER may not contribute to food sensitization in infants and young children with recurrent wheezing.
Allergens/immunology ; Child, Preschool ; Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Female ; *Food Hypersensitivity/etiology/immunology ; *Gastroesophageal Reflux/complications/immunology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; *Respiratory Sounds/etiology/immunology

Eosinophils ; immunology ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Gastritis ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; complications ; immunology ; Milk Proteins ; immunology

Antigens ; immunology ; Child ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Exposure ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Milk, Human ; immunology ; Pregnancy

Child ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; etiology ; immunology ; Humans

OBJECTIVEThe causes of chronic diarrhea in children are complex. At present, food allergy is generally viewed as an important cause of this disorder, and IgG-mediated delayed allergy plays a major role in this process. This study aimed to explore the link between food specific IgG and chronic diarrhea in children, as well as the value of food allergens-specific IgG antibody detection in the management of this disorder.

METHODSEighty-two children with chronic diarrhea and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum levels of specific IgG antibody to 14 kinds of food were detected using ELISA. The results were classified into four grades: Grade 0 (negative), Grade 1 (mild allergy), Grade 2 (moderate allergy) and Grade 3 (severe allergy). The patients received a diet treatment based on the results of food specific IgG antibody detection. Children with negative IgG antibody were allowed to continue their current diet. In children with Grade 1 allergy, the food responsible for the IgG antibody positive test was given only at an interval of four days. In children with Grade 2 or 3, the offending food was eliminated from the diet.

RESULTSOf the 82 children with chronic diarrhea, 79 (96.2%) had increased specific IgG levels for one or more of the 14 foods tested compared to 8 (26.7%) of the controls (P <0.01). The majority of patients showed increased specific IgG levels for milk (68.3%) and egg (62.2%). A low proportion of patients (2.4%) was allergic to chicken, and no patient was allergic to pork. The symptoms were improved in 65 patients (79.3%) after 1 week to 3 months of diet treatment.

CONCLUSIONSFood allergy is one of major causes of chronic childhood diarrhea. Food specific IgG antibody detection may assist in the dietary management of this disorder.

Allergens ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Diarrhea ; etiology ; immunology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Infant ; Male

OBJECTIVETo assess the preventive effects of different dietary regimens on development of eczema and food allergy in infants at high-risk for allergy.

METHODSForty-six infants whose parents were atopic and umbilical cord IgE > 0.35 kU/L were enrolled in the study. The infants were randomly assigned at birth to one of 2 dietary regimen protocols: those in intervention group (23 cases) were breast fed till more than 4 months of age, then followed by feeding with partially hydrolyzed formula (pHF), combined solid foods avoidance until 4-month of age, egg, fish, shrimp avoidance until 12-month of age. The other 23 cases in non-intervention group were breast fed for less than 4 months, or bottle fed with cow's milk-based formula, egg yolk was introduced at 4-month of age, and egg white at 6-month of age, besides, no any other dietary avoidance was applied. All the infants were followed-up for 18 months. The primary end point was the presence of atopic eczema. Food allergy was detected by fresh food prick-to-prick tests or in vitro sIgE or Fx5E.

RESULTSAt 6 months, 12 months and 18 months, the incidence of eczema in intervention group was 4.3% (1/23), 8.7% (2/23), and 17.4% (4/23), respectively, which was significantly reduced as compared to that of the non-intervention group, which was 26.1% (6/23), 34.8% (8/23), and 39.1% (9/23), respectively. Food allergy was found in 13.0% (3/23) of intervention group and 34.8% (9/23) of non-intervention group by skin prick tests or sIgE. Egg white was the most common offending food.

CONCLUSIONEarly life dietary interventions which included breastfeeding, delayed solid food introducing, pHF feeding, and high risk food avoidance could reduce the risk of atopic eczema and food allergy development, and was probably an effective primary intervention method for infants at high risk for atopy.

Breast Feeding ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; diet therapy ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; immunology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Food Hypersensitivity ; complications ; diet therapy ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Infant Formula ; methods ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mothers ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome