Irina Besu

The role of specific cow's milk proteins in the etiology of recurrent aphthous ulcers.

BACKGROUND Recurrent aphthous ulcerations (RAU), or recurrent aphthous stomatitis, is recognized as one of the most common oral mucosal diseases worldwide. It was noted some connection between immunity to cows milk proteins (CMP) and oral diseases. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of the increased levels of serum antibodies to specific cows milk proteins (SCMP), constituents of cheese or of whey, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, in subjects who have RAU. METHODS Fifty subjects with RAU and 50 healthy people, as controls (C), were included in this research. Levels of serum IgA, IgG, and IgE antibodies to SCMP were determined by ELISA. The statistical analysis of data was performed by Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction. RESULTS The levels of serum anti-SCMP IgA, IgG, and IgE antibodies were significantly higher in subjects with RAU in comparison with controls (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS These results indicate the strong association between high levels of serum anti-SCMP IgA, IgG, and IgE antibodies, especially to caseins: α-, β-, and κ-casein from cows milk and clinical manifestations of RAU. Serum immunity to the whey proteins in subjects with RAU was not in so high percentage expressed.

Some patients with NHL possessed immunoreactivity to gliadin and to cow’s milk proteins

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represents heterogeneous group of diseases either B, or T cell origin. In order to assess whether food antigens contribute to the imbalance of immune response, the aim of this work was screening the sera of patients with (mostly) B cell NHL, and of people with non-malignant health disorders (NMD), as well as of healthy people for their immunoreactivity to food constituent gliadin, and to cow’s milk proteins. Data obtained by ELISA tests show the existence of the enhanced immunoreactivity to food antigens in some NHL patients, as well as in some people with NMD. The high degree of coincidence in the presence of enhanced levels of immune complexes in circulation (CIC) and of immunoreactivity with gliadin in immunofixation (after the serum protein electrophoresis in agarose gel in veronal buffer, at pH 8.6) especially in NHL patients points that some antigliadin immunoreactivity unrevealed in ELISA tests could be hidden in CIC. This, only in the presence of malignant genotype, as well as the enhanced levels of CIC in some of NHL patients could both, at least partially contribute to the persistent non-specific support of disease. They call for the new research of the clinical importance of both, the elevated humoral immunity to food antigens (gluten, cow’s milk proteins) for the course of this very severe hematological disease.

Good tolerance to goat's milk in patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers with increased immunoreactivity to cow's milk proteins.

BACKGROUND Recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) represent a very common, but poorly understood mucosal disorder. The connection between immunity to cows milk proteins (CMP) and oral diseases was noted earlier. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of the increased levels of serum antibodies to goats milk proteins (GMP), by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, in subjects who have RAU and proven increased immunity to CMP. METHODS Fifty subjects with RAU (36 with proven increased immunity to CMP and 14 without this increased immunity) were included in this research. Levels of serum IgA, IgG, and IgE antibodies to the same quantity of the examined antigens were determined by ELISA. The statistical analysis of data was performed by Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS The levels of serum antifresh cows milk IgA, IgG, and IgE antibodies were significantly higher than the levels of serum antifresh goats milk, in subjects with RAU with proven increased immunoreactivity to CMP (P = 0.0003; P < 0.0001; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that patients with RAU with increased immunity to CMP could consider the use of goats milk as the alternative protein source.

Immunoreactivity to food antigens in patients with chronic urticaria.

The goal of study was better understanding of complex immune mechanisms that can help to evaluate patients with chronic urticaria (CU), especially those with unknown etiology. The study involved 55 patients with CU. Control group consisted of up to 90 healthy persons. The presence and intensity of serum IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE antibodies to common food antigens: cow’s milk proteins (CMP), gliadin and phytohemagglutinin were determined by ELISA. Determination of subpopulations of immunocompetent cells was performed by flow cytometry. Significantly enhanced IgE, but also IgA immunity to CMP was found in patients with CU in comparison to healthy controls: (p < 0.000004) and (p < 0.002), respectively. Notably, in 40 out of 55 CU patients, the increased levels of some type of immunoglobulin reactivity to CMP were found. Regarding gliadin, only the levels of serum IgE anti-gliadin antibodies were significantly enhanced in patients with CU (p < 0.04). Significantly enhanced percentage of CD89+ cells accompanied with significantly lower percentage of lymphocytes and significantly higher mean fluorescence intensity of CD26 expression on lymphocytes were found in patients with CU in comparison to healthy controls (p < 0.04), (p < 0.02) and (p < 0.003), respectively. Results of this study may help in better understanding the complex immune disturbances in patients with CU.

Abstract B138: Disappearance of “M” component connected with cow’s milk protein-free diet

Abstracts: Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research 2008 B138 The presence of “M” component, as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) in many patients with psoriatic arthritis and in 5% healthy people older than 70 years is well known. Besides, it was stressed out that patients with psoriatic arthritis and MGUS can sometimes develop multiple myeloma. Serum from patient 83 years old, with psoriatic arthritis diagnosed at 2000 was analyzed. Determination of the total IgG, IgA and IgM immunoglobulins was done by nephelometry using commercial (Binding Site) tests. Serum protein electrophoresis was done on gel electrophoresis in barbital buffer, pH=8.6; this was followed by immunofixation using sheep antihuman antibodies (Binding Site) to light and heavy chains of immunoglobulins. Determination of serum IgA and IgG immunoreactivity to gliadin in (IU/ml) was done using commercial Binding Site ELISA test, while serum immunoreactivity to cow’s milk protein (CMP) in (AU/ml) was done by home made ELISA test, using cows milk pasteurized powder (ICN Biomedicals, Inc.) as the antigen and sheep antihuman IgA and IgG, HRP labeled antibodies (Binding Site) as secondary antibodies. Blocker was 1% bovine serum albumin. Results obtained showed the enhanced IgA and IgG immunoreactivity to CMP. The analysis of serum by electrophoresis and immunofixation reveals the presence of monoclonal IgG (λ) immunoglobulin. Upon the knowledge that the enhanced immunoreactivity especially to CMP exists the patient decided to consume the food without cow’s milk proteins. About month and half after the start of CMP free diet he has done his blood for the analysis of serum proteins again. In that time of period the patient has not taken any immunosuppressive drugs. Electrophoresis of patient sera reveals that after the CMP free diet the “M“component disappeared. These data are supported by the findings that serum anti-CMP IgG dropped from 892 AU/ml to 0 AU/ml (anti-CMP IgA also dropped from 240 AU/ml to 0 AU/ml) Besides, concentrations of total serum proteins were diminished after the CMP free diet from 73 g/l to 69 g/l, while concentration of IgG was decreased from 17.8 g/l to 11.2 g/l. Our report shows that there could be a connection between diet restricted for immunogenic protein(s) and disappearance of MGUS. Our results are along with the data from only one report dealing with a possible link between disappearance of MGUS and gluten free diet. They open the question whether the special, appropriate diet restriction regime could help in the prevention of multiple myeloma. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B138.

The absence of immunoreactivity to donkey’s milk in patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers and immunoreactivity to cow’s milk

ABSTRACT Despite the numerous benefits of milk constituents for human health a considerable number of the general population follow a milk-restricted diet due to clinically confirmed or self-assessed adverse reactions to cow’s milk consumption. Recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) are currently one of the most common oral disorders, with a worldwide distribution and insufficiently defined etiology, which, among other factors, implies the immunological reaction to food proteins. The aim of this study was to determine the immune-reactivity to donkey’s milk proteins in patients with RAU and compare it to the reactivity towards the proteins from cow’s and goat’s milks, in a set of simultaneous experiments. Levels of serum IgA, IgG and IgE antibodies to the same quantity of the examined antigens were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results indicate that patients with RAU with increased immunity to cow’s milk proteins could consider the use of donkey’s milk as the best protein source.

Acute effects of black currant consumption on salivary flow rate and secretion rate of salivary immunoglobulin a in healthy smokers.

The role of saliva in maintaining oral health and homeostasis is based on its physicochemical properties and biological activities of its components, including salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA). Both salivary rates and immunological status of saliva are found to be compromised in smokers. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute time-dependent effect of smoking and black currant consumption on the salivary flow rate (SFR) and salivary IgA secretion rate (sIgA SR) in healthy smokers. SFR, sIgA levels in saliva, and sIgA SRs were determined in healthy smokers (n=8) at eight times of assessment within three consecutive interventions: at the baseline; 5, 30, and 60 min after smoking; 5, 30, and 60 min after black currant consumption (100 g), followed by smoking; and 5 min after black currant consumption. Smoking induced a significant delayed effect on SFR measured 60 min after smoking (P=.03), while black currant consumption preceding smoking prevented that effect. Salivary IgA concentrations and sIgA flow rates were not acutely influenced by smoking. Black currant consumption preceding smoking induced a significant decrease in sIgA concentrations 5 min after the intervention compared with the baseline (P=.046), with a further increasing trend, statistically significant, 60 min after the intervention (P=.025). Although smoking cessation is the most important strategy in the prevention of chronic diseases, the obtained results suggest that the influence of black currant consumption on negative effects of tobacco smoke on salivary flow and immunological status of saliva could partly reduce the smoking-associated risk on oral health.