Sabouraud-Leclerc D, Mariotte D, Bradatan E, Divaret-Chauveau A, Metz-Favre C, et al.
Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology •
The European Regulation list on mandatory labelling of foods includes 14 allergenic foods; however, other foods are also frequently implicated in food-induced anaphylaxis (FIA). We analysed FIA cases reported to the Allergy Vigilance Network from 2002 to 2023. Allergenic foods involved in ≥ 1% of cases and not included in the list were assessed as emerging food allergens (EFA). We assessed their frequency, severity (Ring classification), recurrence, and potential presence in hidden form to determine which allergens might warrant inclusion on the list. Among 2999 FIA cases (Ring grades 2-4), 413 cases (13.8%) met the selection criteria, divided into eight allergenic foods or food groups: goat's and sheep's milk (GSM, n = 84; 2.8% of the cases), buckwheat (n = 71; 2.4%), peas and lentil (n = 55; 1.8%), alpha-gal (n = 50; 1.7%), pine nut (n = 49; 1.6%), kiwi (n = 44; 1.5%), beehive products (n = 30; 1.0%), and apple (n = 30; 1.0%). Severe reactions (Ring grades 3 and 4) were reported with GSM (46.8% and 4.8%, respectively, including two fatalities), buckwheat (46.5% and1.4%), peas-lentil (20% and 1.8%), alpha-gal (54% and 8%), and Grade 3 reactions were reported with pine nut in 49%, kiwi 54.5%, beehive products 33.3% and apple 46.7%. Recurrent reactions and hidden exposures were reported with GSM (56% and 15.5%), buckwheat (49.3% and 16.9%), peas-lentil (7.3% and 9.0%) and pine nut (12.2% and 4.1%). We identified eight foods frequently involved in FIA and not currently listed in the European regulation. Given their frequency, severity, recurrence, and potential for hidden exposure, we propose that four-goat's and sheep's milk, buckwheat, peas-lentil, and pine nut-be considered for inclusion in the list.
Ta HP, Clarisse C, Maes E, Yamakawa N, Guérardel Y, et al.
Chemistry and physics of lipids •
The growing consumption of fermented products has led to an increasing demand for lactic acid bacteria (LAB), especially for LAB tolerant to freezing/thawing conditions. Carnobacterium maltaromaticum is a psychrotrophic and freeze-thawing resistant lactic acid bacterium. The membrane is the primary site of damage during the cryo-preservation process and requires modulation to improve cryoresistance. However, knowledge about the membrane structure of this LAB genus is limited. We presented here the first study of the membrane lipid composition of C. maltaromaticum CNCM I-3298 including the polar heads and the fatty acid compositions of each lipid family (neutral lipids, glycolipids, phospholipids). The strain CNCM I-3298 is principally composed of glycolipids (32%) and phospholipids (55%). About 95% of glycolipids are dihexaosyldiglycerides while less than 5% are monohexaosyldiglycerides. The disaccharide chain of dihexaosyldiglycerides is composed of α-Gal(1-2)-α-Glc chain, evidenced for the first time in a LAB strain other than Lactobacillus strains. Phosphatidylglycerol is the main phospholipid (94%). All polar lipids are exceptionally rich in C18:1 (from 70% to 80%). Regarding the fatty acid composition, C. maltaromaticum CNCM I-3298 is an atypical bacterium within the genus Carnobacterium due to its high C18:1 proportion but resemble the other Carnobacterium strains as they mostly do not contain cyclic fatty acids.
Hodžić A, Mateos-Hernández L, Fréalle E, Román-Carrasco P, Alberdi P, et al.
Vaccines •
α-Gal syndrome (AGS) is a type of anaphylactic reaction to mammalian meat characterized by an immunoglobulin (Ig)E immune response to the oligosaccharide α-Gal (Galα1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R). Tick bites seems to be a prerequisite for the onset of the allergic disease in humans, but the implication of non-tick parasites in α-Gal sensitization has also been deliberated. In the present study, we therefore evaluated the capacity of helminths (, , ), protozoa (), and parasitic fungi () to induce an immune response to α-Gal. For this, different developmental stages of the infectious agents were tested for the presence of α-Gal. Next, the potential correlation between immune responses to α-Gal and the parasite infections was investigated by testing sera collected from patients with AGS and those infected with the parasites. Our results showed that and produce the terminal α-Gal moieties, but they were not able to induce the production of specific antibodies. By contrast, , and lack the α-Gal epitope. Furthermore, the patients with infection had significantly decreased anti-α-Gal IgE levels when compared to the healthy controls, suggesting the potential role of this nematode parasite in suppressing the allergic response to the glycan molecule. This rather intriguing observation is discussed in the context of the 'hygiene hypothesis'. Taken together, our study provides new insights into the relationships between immune responses to α-Gal and parasitic infections. However, further investigations should be undertaken to identify components with potent immunomodulatory properties and to assess their potential to be used in immunotherapy and control of AGS.
