Tropomyosin (TM) is a major allergen in shellfish, known to cross-react with mite, cockroach and/... more Tropomyosin (TM) is a major allergen in shellfish, known to cross-react with mite, cockroach and/or some roundworm (nematode) TM. In this study, we aimed to express and purify TM from the parasitic nematode Anisakis pegreffii and also to characterise its cross-reactivity with TM from shellfish. A. pegreffii was isolated from the flathead tiger fish (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni) and characterised using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)-based sequencing of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The recombinant tropomyosin (rTM) of A. pegreffii was expressed, purified and confirmed by immunohistochemistry, sequencing and LC-MS/MS analyses. Immunohistochemistry showed the muscle and the base layer of the third-stage larvae (L3) of A. pegreffii as the location of TM in A. pegreffii. The molecular relationship of TM of A. pegreffii with homologs from other nematodes and crustaceans was inferred from phylogenetic analysis. Immunogenicity of TM from A. pegreffii was tested by immunoblotting, which showed that rTM from A. pegreffii binds to IgE from sera of patients with allergy to crustaceans. Immunoblotting also showed that the anti-TM monoclonal antibody (MAb) did not recognise rTM from A. pegreffii. The rTM from A. pegreffii was, however, recognised by anti-TM polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) as well as anti-crustacean polyclonal antibodies (PAbs). The detection of specific serum IgE antibody against parasite TM has been proposed as a useful approach for the diagnosis of parasite-induced allergy. The findings of this study merit further exploration of the cross-reactive allergenic proteins of Anisakis for improved, future diagnosis of allergenic diseases.
Fish and Shellfish are an increasingly important cause of allergic reactions worldwide. Unlike fo... more Fish and Shellfish are an increasingly important cause of allergic reactions worldwide. Unlike food allergy to milk and eggs which usually resolves by school age, seafood allergy is typically life-long and unsuccessful avoidance results in often severe allergic reactions. A major difficulty in managing fish and shellfish allergy is the lack of reliable detection procedures for seafood allergens as they are poorly characterized. Importantly for advising consumers on necessary allergen avoidance, cross-species allergic reactions between members of the shellfish group, consisting of crustaceans and mollusks, must be characterized. To date only two allergens, tropomyosin and parvalbumin, have been implicated in shellfish and fish respectively; other allergens have been identified but as yet not well studied. Adding to the complexity of this field are reports of enhanced stability and allergenicity of food allergens during heating and digestion. The current status of seafood allergy and impact on allergen detection is discussed.
The sulphur amino acids methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) and their derivative taurine (Tau) ar... more The sulphur amino acids methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) and their derivative taurine (Tau) are metabolically active molecules with interlinked roles in nutritional requirements. Deficiencies in these nutrients are linked to poor growth and health; however, the impacts of these deficiencies on organ structure and function are largely unknown. This study examined the effects of dietary Met, Cys and Tau fed at different levels on yellowtail kingfish (YTK) liver histology and surface colour, plasma biochemistry and posterior intestine histology. Samples were collected from two dose–response feeding trials that quantified (1) the Tau requirement and sparing effect of Met by feeding YTK diets containing one of seven levels of Tau at one of two levels of Met and (2) the Met requirement and sparing effect of Cys by feeding YTK diets containing one of five levels of Met at one of two levels of Cys. YTK fed inadequate levels of dietary Met, Cys and Tau exhibited thicker bile ducts, less r...
The main insects causing allergy reactions to stinging insect in humans are Apidae (bees), Vespid... more The main insects causing allergy reactions to stinging insect in humans are Apidae (bees), Vespidae (wasps, yellow jackets and hornets) and Formicidae (ants). Their venom stings are composed of various biologically active peptides and protein components, some of which can cause toxicity or anaphylaxis in humans. The protein venom demonstrate some common allergenic activity such as for fire ants and vespids, which have two common allergens that are phospholipase A1 (enzymatic activity) and antigen 5 with unknown biological activity. The common allergens seem to share some degree of immunological cross-reactivity, particularly when the sequence homology is above 70%. Therefore immunotherapeutic approaches targeting more than one specific species are of interest. Recent widespread increases of various ant species in many countries have resulted in higher number of reported about serious allergic reactions to stings. Most insect-allergy related cases have been reported for species from Solenopsis, Myrmecia and Pachycondyla genera, and their stings can often result in human fatalities. In addition, stinging ants can have serious health effects on livestock, agricultural damage adversely affecting the biodiversity of the region. This review discusses the impact of important ant species on human health in the Asia-Pacific region along with the molecular immunological aspects of the identified venoms and current status of diagnostics and therapeutics.
Nutritious, safe, affordable and enjoyable food is a fundamental prerequisite for health. As a na... more Nutritious, safe, affordable and enjoyable food is a fundamental prerequisite for health. As a nation, Australia is currently classified as food secure with domestic production exceeding domestic consumption of most major food groups. However, the viability of the Australian food system sits counter to the continued presence of a stable and supportive climate. For Australia to adapt to climate change it is essential to implement evidence-based research and policy that will increase the adaptive capacity and resilience of Australia’s vulnerable food and health sectors, while also considering the implementation of transitional, transformational, and mitigation strategies to ensure long term sustainability. This discussion paper reviews the current state of science to reveal key issues and gaps in the fields of human health and food systems research, with implications for Australia’s capacity to adapt to climate change. It uses a food systems approach to identify observed and potential climate change impacts along the food chain and highlights the direct and indirect pathways to health outcomes. The paper represents a collaborative work bringing together expertise from leading Australian researchers and policy-makers in the fields of health and food, as part of a series being developed by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Human Health and builds on the National Adaptation Research Plan on Human Health (Nicholls 2009).
Tropomyosin (TM) is a major allergen in shellfish, known to cross-react with mite, cockroach and/... more Tropomyosin (TM) is a major allergen in shellfish, known to cross-react with mite, cockroach and/or some roundworm (nematode) TM. In this study, we aimed to express and purify TM from the parasitic nematode Anisakis pegreffii and also to characterise its cross-reactivity with TM from shellfish. A. pegreffii was isolated from the flathead tiger fish (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni) and characterised using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)-based sequencing of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The recombinant tropomyosin (rTM) of A. pegreffii was expressed, purified and confirmed by immunohistochemistry, sequencing and LC-MS/MS analyses. Immunohistochemistry showed the muscle and the base layer of the third-stage larvae (L3) of A. pegreffii as the location of TM in A. pegreffii. The molecular relationship of TM of A. pegreffii with homologs from other nematodes and crustaceans was inferred from phylogenetic analysis. Immunogenicity of TM from A. pegreffii was tested by immunoblotting, which showed that rTM from A. pegreffii binds to IgE from sera of patients with allergy to crustaceans. Immunoblotting also showed that the anti-TM monoclonal antibody (MAb) did not recognise rTM from A. pegreffii. The rTM from A. pegreffii was, however, recognised by anti-TM polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) as well as anti-crustacean polyclonal antibodies (PAbs). The detection of specific serum IgE antibody against parasite TM has been proposed as a useful approach for the diagnosis of parasite-induced allergy. The findings of this study merit further exploration of the cross-reactive allergenic proteins of Anisakis for improved, future diagnosis of allergenic diseases.
Fish and Shellfish are an increasingly important cause of allergic reactions worldwide. Unlike fo... more Fish and Shellfish are an increasingly important cause of allergic reactions worldwide. Unlike food allergy to milk and eggs which usually resolves by school age, seafood allergy is typically life-long and unsuccessful avoidance results in often severe allergic reactions. A major difficulty in managing fish and shellfish allergy is the lack of reliable detection procedures for seafood allergens as they are poorly characterized. Importantly for advising consumers on necessary allergen avoidance, cross-species allergic reactions between members of the shellfish group, consisting of crustaceans and mollusks, must be characterized. To date only two allergens, tropomyosin and parvalbumin, have been implicated in shellfish and fish respectively; other allergens have been identified but as yet not well studied. Adding to the complexity of this field are reports of enhanced stability and allergenicity of food allergens during heating and digestion. The current status of seafood allergy and impact on allergen detection is discussed.
The sulphur amino acids methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) and their derivative taurine (Tau) ar... more The sulphur amino acids methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) and their derivative taurine (Tau) are metabolically active molecules with interlinked roles in nutritional requirements. Deficiencies in these nutrients are linked to poor growth and health; however, the impacts of these deficiencies on organ structure and function are largely unknown. This study examined the effects of dietary Met, Cys and Tau fed at different levels on yellowtail kingfish (YTK) liver histology and surface colour, plasma biochemistry and posterior intestine histology. Samples were collected from two dose–response feeding trials that quantified (1) the Tau requirement and sparing effect of Met by feeding YTK diets containing one of seven levels of Tau at one of two levels of Met and (2) the Met requirement and sparing effect of Cys by feeding YTK diets containing one of five levels of Met at one of two levels of Cys. YTK fed inadequate levels of dietary Met, Cys and Tau exhibited thicker bile ducts, less r...
The main insects causing allergy reactions to stinging insect in humans are Apidae (bees), Vespid... more The main insects causing allergy reactions to stinging insect in humans are Apidae (bees), Vespidae (wasps, yellow jackets and hornets) and Formicidae (ants). Their venom stings are composed of various biologically active peptides and protein components, some of which can cause toxicity or anaphylaxis in humans. The protein venom demonstrate some common allergenic activity such as for fire ants and vespids, which have two common allergens that are phospholipase A1 (enzymatic activity) and antigen 5 with unknown biological activity. The common allergens seem to share some degree of immunological cross-reactivity, particularly when the sequence homology is above 70%. Therefore immunotherapeutic approaches targeting more than one specific species are of interest. Recent widespread increases of various ant species in many countries have resulted in higher number of reported about serious allergic reactions to stings. Most insect-allergy related cases have been reported for species from Solenopsis, Myrmecia and Pachycondyla genera, and their stings can often result in human fatalities. In addition, stinging ants can have serious health effects on livestock, agricultural damage adversely affecting the biodiversity of the region. This review discusses the impact of important ant species on human health in the Asia-Pacific region along with the molecular immunological aspects of the identified venoms and current status of diagnostics and therapeutics.
Nutritious, safe, affordable and enjoyable food is a fundamental prerequisite for health. As a na... more Nutritious, safe, affordable and enjoyable food is a fundamental prerequisite for health. As a nation, Australia is currently classified as food secure with domestic production exceeding domestic consumption of most major food groups. However, the viability of the Australian food system sits counter to the continued presence of a stable and supportive climate. For Australia to adapt to climate change it is essential to implement evidence-based research and policy that will increase the adaptive capacity and resilience of Australia’s vulnerable food and health sectors, while also considering the implementation of transitional, transformational, and mitigation strategies to ensure long term sustainability. This discussion paper reviews the current state of science to reveal key issues and gaps in the fields of human health and food systems research, with implications for Australia’s capacity to adapt to climate change. It uses a food systems approach to identify observed and potential climate change impacts along the food chain and highlights the direct and indirect pathways to health outcomes. The paper represents a collaborative work bringing together expertise from leading Australian researchers and policy-makers in the fields of health and food, as part of a series being developed by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Human Health and builds on the National Adaptation Research Plan on Human Health (Nicholls 2009).
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