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Vassilopoulou E, Venter C, Roth-Walter F. Malnutrition and Allergies: Tipping the Immune Balance towards Health. J Clin Med 2024; 13:4713. [PMID: 39200855 PMCID: PMC11355500 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13164713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Malnutrition, which includes macro- and micronutrient deficiencies, is common in individuals with allergic dermatitis, food allergies, rhinitis, and asthma. Prolonged deficiencies of proteins, minerals, and vitamins promote Th2 inflammation, setting the stage for allergic sensitization. Consequently, malnutrition, which includes micronutrient deficiencies, fosters the development of allergies, while an adequate supply of micronutrients promotes immune cells with regulatory and tolerogenic phenotypes. As protein and micronutrient deficiencies mimic an infection, the body's innate response limits access to these nutrients by reducing their dietary absorption. This review highlights our current understanding of the physiological functions of allergenic proteins, iron, and vitamin A, particularly regarding their reduced bioavailability under inflamed conditions, necessitating different dietary approaches to improve their absorption. Additionally, the role of most allergens as nutrient binders and their involvement in nutritional immunity will be briefly summarized. Their ability to bind nutrients and their close association with immune cells can trigger exaggerated immune responses and allergies in individuals with deficiencies. However, in nutrient-rich conditions, these allergens can also provide nutrients to immune cells and promote health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Vassilopoulou
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Univertià degli Studi die Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Carina Venter
- Pediatrics, Section of Allergy & Immunology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Box B518, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Franziska Roth-Walter
- Messerli Research Institute, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Roth-Walter F, Berni Canani R, O'Mahony L, Peroni D, Sokolowska M, Vassilopoulou E, Venter C. Nutrition in chronic inflammatory conditions: Bypassing the mucosal block for micronutrients. Allergy 2024; 79:353-383. [PMID: 38084827 DOI: 10.1111/all.15972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Nutritional Immunity is one of the most ancient innate immune responses, during which the body can restrict nutrients availability to pathogens and restricts their uptake by the gut mucosa (mucosal block). Though this can be a beneficial strategy during infection, it also is associated with non-communicable diseases-where the pathogen is missing; leading to increased morbidity and mortality as micronutritional uptake and distribution in the body is hindered. Here, we discuss the acute immune response in respect to nutrients, the opposing nutritional demands of regulatory and inflammatory cells and particularly focus on some nutrients linked with inflammation such as iron, vitamins A, Bs, C, and other antioxidants. We propose that while the absorption of certain micronutrients is hindered during inflammation, the dietary lymph path remains available. As such, several clinical trials investigated the role of the lymphatic system during protein absorption, following a ketogenic diet and an increased intake of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, in reducing inflammation and ameliorating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Roth-Walter
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University Vienna and University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Roberto Berni Canani
- Department of Translational Medical Science and ImmunoNutritionLab at CEINGE-Advanced Biotechnologies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Liam O'Mahony
- Department of Medicine, School of Microbiology, APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Diego Peroni
- Section of Paediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Milena Sokolowska
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zürich, Davos, Switzerland
- Christine Kühne - Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), Davos, Switzerland
| | - Emilia Vassilopoulou
- Pediatric Area, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Carina Venter
- Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Fakhimahmadi A, Hasanaj I, Hofstetter G, Pogner C, Gorfer M, Wiederstein M, Szepannek N, Bianchini R, Dvorak Z, Jensen SA, Berger M, Jensen-Jarolim E, Hufnagl K, Roth-Walter F. Nutritional Provision of Iron Complexes by the Major Allergen Alt a 1 to Human Immune Cells Decreases Its Presentation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11934. [PMID: 37569310 PMCID: PMC10418924 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241511934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternaria alternata is a common fungus strongly related with severe allergic asthma, with 80% of affected individuals being sensitized solely to its major allergen Alt a 1. Here, we assessed the function of Alt a 1 as an innate defense protein binding to micronutrients, such as iron-quercetin complexes (FeQ2), and its impact on antigen presentation in vitro. Binding of Alt a 1 to FeQ2 was determined in docking calculations. Recombinant Alt a 1 was generated, and binding ability, as well as secondary and quaternary structure, assessed by UV-VIS, CD, and DLS spectroscopy. Proteolytic functions were determined by casein and gelatine zymography. Uptake of empty apo- or ligand-filled holoAlt a 1 were assessed in human monocytic THP1 cells under the presence of dynamin and clathrin-inhibitors, activation of the Arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) using the human reporter cellline AZ-AHR. Human PBMCs were stimulated and assessed for phenotypic changes in monocytes by flow cytometry. Alt a 1 bound strongly to FeQ2 as a tetramer with calculated Kd values reaching pico-molar levels and surpassing affinities to quercetin alone by a factor of 5000 for the tetramer. apoAlt a 1 but not holoAlta 1 showed low enzymatic activity against casein as a hexamer and gelatin as a trimer. Uptake of apo- and holo-Alt a 1 occurred partly clathrin-dependent, with apoAlt a 1 decreasing labile iron in THP1 cells and holoAlt a 1 facilitating quercetin-dependent AhR activation. In human PBMCs uptake of holoAlt a 1 but not apoAlt a 1 significantly decreased the surface expression of the costimulatory CD86, but also of HLADR, thereby reducing effective antigen presentation. We show here for the first time that the presence of nutritional iron complexes, such as FeQ2, significantly alters the function of Alt a 1 and dampens the human immune response, thereby supporting the notion that Alt a 1 only becomes immunogenic under nutritional deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aila Fakhimahmadi
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ilir Hasanaj
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
| | - Gerlinde Hofstetter
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Clara Pogner
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, 3430 Tulln, Austria; (C.P.); (M.G.)
| | - Markus Gorfer
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, 3430 Tulln, Austria; (C.P.); (M.G.)
| | - Markus Wiederstein
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
| | - Nathalie Szepannek
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
| | - Rodolfo Bianchini
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
| | - Zdenek Dvorak
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic;
| | - Sebastian A. Jensen
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
| | - Markus Berger
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
| | - Erika Jensen-Jarolim
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Hufnagl
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Franziska Roth-Walter
- Comparative Medicine, The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (A.F.); (I.H.); (G.H.); (N.S.); (R.B.); (S.A.J.); (M.B.); (E.J.-J.); (K.H.)
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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