Occupational asthma caused by inhalation of bovine serum albumin powder

Bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is present in bovine plasma, is one of the major allergens affecting patients with food allergies induced by milk and meat. It is also commonly used in research laboratories. Although some reports have documented food allergies associated with BSA, BSA-induced occupational asthma has not been reported. We report a case of occupational asthma and rhinitis in a laboratory worker caused by the inhalation of BSA powder, in which an IgE-mediated response was suggested as the pathogenic mechanism

High fat diet-induced obesity leads to proinflammatory response associated with higher expression of NOD2 protein

Obesity has been reported to be associated with low grade inflammatory status. In this study, we investigated the inflammatory response as well as associated signaling molecules in immune cells from diet-induced obese mice. Four-week-old C57BL mice were fed diets containing 5% fat (control) or 20% fat and 1% cholesterol (HFD) for 24 weeks. Splenocytes (1 × 107 cells) were stimulated with 10 µg/mL of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 6 or 24 hrs. Production of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α as well as protein expression levels of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)2, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3, and pSTAT3 were determined. Mice fed HFD gained significantly more body weight compared to mice fed control diet (28.2 ± 0.6 g in HFD and 15.4 ± 0.8 g in control). After stimulation with LPS for 6 hrs, production of IL-1β was significantly higher (P = 0.001) and production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α tended to be higher (P < 0.064) in the HFD group. After 24 hrs of LPS stimulation, splenocytes from the HFD group produced significantly higher levels of IL-6 (10.02 ± 0.66 ng/mL in HFD and 7.33 ± 0.56 ng/mL in control, P = 0.005) and IL-1β (121.34 ± 12.72 pg/mL in HFD and 49.74 ± 6.58 pg/mL in control, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the expression levels of STAT3 and pSTAT3 between the HFD and the control groups. However, the expression level of NOD2 protein as determined by Western blot analysis was 60% higher in the HFD group compared with the control group. NOD2 contributes to the induction of inflammation by activation of nuclear factor κB. These findings suggest that diet-induced obesity is associated with increased inflammatory response of immune cells, and higher expression of NOD2 may contribute to these changes

Comparison of the dietary intake and clinical characteristics of obese and normal weight adults

Obesity contributes to an increased risk for chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer. The prevalence of obesity has increased in Korea. We compared the clinical and dietary characteristics of obese adults (n = 30, 17 men and 13 women, mean age 29.9) to those with a normal weight (n = 15, 8 men and 7 women, mean age 26.5). We determined lipid profiles, fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood pressure, and serum free fatty acid (FFA). Dietary intake was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and a 3-day dietary record. Exercise patterns and average alcohol intake were determined. The average body mass index was 28.3 kg/m2 in the obese and 21.2 kg/m2 in the normal weight groups. The obese group had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, lower levels of HDL cholesterol, and higher blood pressures compared to the normal weight group. FBS was not significantly different between the two groups. The obese group had significantly more subjects with metabolic syndrome (26.7%) compared to the normal weight group (0%). Serum FFA levels tended to be higher in the obese (P = 0.087). No significant difference in caloric intake was observed between the two groups. No differences in carbohydrate, protein, or fat intake between two groups were observed from the FFQ. However, results from the 3-day dietary record showed that the percentage of energy from fat was significantly higher in the obese group. The frequency and amount of exercise did not differ between the two groups. Alcohol consumed per drinking episode was significantly higher in the obese group. These results confirm that excessive weight is associated with disturbances in lipid metabolism in these fairly young and otherwise healthy adults. Dietary factors, including higher fat intake and alcohol consumption, seem to be contributing to the obesity of these subjects

Strong association between herpes simplex virus-1 and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with hematologic malignancies

Background/Aims: A link between oral cavity infections and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (CIOM) in patients with hematological malignancies (HMs) undergoing intensive chemotherapy (IC) or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been suggested. However, conclusive data are lacking, and there are no current guidelines for the prophylactic use of antimicrobials to prevent CIOM in these populations. Methods: The relationships between herpes simplex virus (HSV) reactivation and Candida colonization in the oral cavity and CIOM in patients with HMs undergoing IC or HSCT were evaluated. Patients aged &gt;= 19 years with HMs undergoing IC or HSCT were enrolled. Each patient was evaluated for HSV and Candida in the oral cavity along with CIOM at baseline and during the and, 3rd, and 4th weeks. Results: Seventy presentations among 56 patients were analyzed. CIOM was observed in 23 presentations (32.9%), with a higher incidence associated with HSCT (17 of 35 presentations, 48.6%) than with IC (six of 35 presentations, 8.6%). The reactivation of HSV-1 was significantly associated with an increased incidence of CIOM after adjusting for age, sex, type of disease, and treatment stage. A higher HSV-1 viral load was associated with an increased incidence of CIOM. The presence of Candida was not associated with CIOM. Conclusions: HSV-1 reactivation in the oral cavity was highly associated with CIOM in patients with HMs undergoing high-dose chemotherapy.Y

Expression of Various Pattern Recognition Receptors in Gingival Epithelial Cells.

Innate immune response is initiated by the recognition of unique microbial molecular patterns through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). The purpose of this study is to dissect the expression of various PRRs in gingival epithelial cells of differentiated versus undifferentiated states. Differentiation of immortalized human gingival epithelial HOK-16B cells was induced by culture in the presence of high at increased cell density. The expression levels of various PRRs in HOK-16B cells were examined by realtime reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and flow cytometry. In addition, the expression of human beta defensins (HBDs) was examined by real time RT-PCR and the amounts of secreted cytokines were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. In undifferentiated HOK-16B cells, NACHT-LRR-PYDcontaining protein (NALP) 2 was expressed most abundantly, and toll like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) 1, and NOD2 were expressed in substantial levels. However, TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, ICE protease-activating factor (IPAF), and NALP6 were hardly expressed. In differentiated cells, the levels of NOD2, NALP2, and TLR4 were different from those in undifferentiated cells at RNA but not at protein levels. Interestingly, differentiated cells expressed the increased levels of HBD-1 and -3 but secreted reduced amount of IL-8. In conclusion, the repertoire of PRRs expressed by gingival epithelial cells is limited, and undifferentiated and differentiated cells express similar levels of PRRs