Ligand binding to an Allergenic Lipid Transfer Protein Enhances Conformational Flexibility resulting in an Increase in Susceptibility to Gastroduodenal Proteolysis

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are a family of lipid-binding molecules that are widely distributed across flowering plant species, many of which have been identified as allergens. They are highly resistant to simulated gastroduodenal proteolysis, a property that may play a role in determining their allergenicity and it has been suggested that lipid binding may further increase stability to proteolysis. It is demonstrated that LTPs from wheat and peach bind a range of lipids in a variety of conditions, including those found in the gastroduodenal tract. Both LTPs are initially cleaved during gastroduodenal proteolysis at three major sites between residues 39–40, 56–57 and 79–80, with wheat LTP being more resistant to cleavage than its peach ortholog. The susceptibility of wheat LTP to proteolyic cleavage increases significantly upon lipid binding. This enhanced digestibility is likely to be due to the displacement of Tyr79 and surrounding residues from the internal hydrophobic cavity upon ligand binding to the solvent exposed exterior of the LTP, facilitating proteolysis. Such knowledge contributes to our understanding as to how resistance to digestion can be used in allergenicity risk assessment of novel food proteins, including GMOs

Personality disorders among patients accessing alcohol detoxification treatment: prevalence and gender differences

BACKGROUND: Alcohol abuse and dependence are frequently associated with psychiatric disorders and personality disorders (PDs) with differences among gender. However, only few studies investigated gender differences in PDs among alcoholics. The aim of this study was to investigate PDs in a sample of patients accessing inpatient alcohol detoxification treatment and to describe gender differences in prevalence and comorbidity of PDs. METHODS: The study population consisted of 206 patients entering alcohol detoxification treatment in a specialized clinic in Italy. At enrollment, patients filled in the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III for the assessment of PDs. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 150 males and 56 females. Twenty-five percent of males vs 12.5% of females had 1 PD; 16% vs 23%, 2 PDs; and 46% vs 48%, more than 3 PDs. A statistically significant higher proportion of females got high scores on avoidant (21.4% vs 9.3%), self-defeating (50.0% vs 24.0%), and borderline scales (42.9% vs 25.3%). Depressive, self-defeating, and borderline PDs were frequently associated both to other PDs and among each other, particularly among females. CONCLUSIONS: Borderline PD is confirmed to be more frequent among females than among males accessing alcohol detoxification treatment. More studies are needed to clarify prevalence and associations of PDs, prognosis, and gender differences in alcoholics patients