Erratum: Effects of enzymatic hydrolysis of buckwheat protein on antigenicity and allergenicity

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Effects of enzymatic hydrolysis of buckwheat protein on antigenicity and allergenicity

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Due to its beneficial health effects, use of buckwheat has shown a continuous increase, and concerns regarding the allergic property of buckwheat have also increased. This study was conducted for evaluation of the hydrolytic effects of seven commercial proteases on buckwheat allergens and its allergenicity. MATERIALS/METHODS: Extracted buckwheat protein was hydrolyzed by seven proteolytic enzymes at individual optimum temperature and pH for four hours. Analysis was then performed using SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, and competitive inhibition ELISA (ciELISA) with rabbit antiserum to buckwheat protein, and direct ELISA with pooled serum of 21 buckwheat-sensitive patients. RESULTS: Alkaline protease, classified as serine peptidase, was most effective in reducing allergenicity of buckwheat protein. It caused decomposition of the whole buckwheat protein, as shown on SDS-PAGE, and results of immunoblotting showed that the rabbit antiserum to buckwheat protein no longer recognized it as an antigen. Allergenicity showed a decrease of more than 50% when pooled serum of patients was used in ELISA. Two proteolytic enzymes from Aspergillus sp. could not hydrolyze buckwheat allergens effectively, and the allergenicity even appeared to increase. CONCLUSIONS: Serine-type peptidases appeared to show a relatively effective reduction of buckwheat allergenicity. However, the antigenicity measured using rabbit antiserum did not correspond to the allergenicity measured using sera from human patients. Production of less allergenic buckwheat protein may be possible using enzymatic hydrolysis.

Renal Malakoplakia with Secondary Hepatic Extension: A Case Report

Renal malakoplakia (RM) with secondary hepatic involvement is extremely rare. There are only two cases reported in literature. We report the first case of RM with secondary hepatic extension in Korea. A 70-year-old woman had a history of long-term oral steroids intake. A radical nephrectomy and a segmental hepatectomy were performed under the clinical impression of a renal cell carcinoma with hepatic extension on the dynamic liver computed tomography. The gross specimen revealed a lobulated yellowish-tan, soft mass (9 X 8 X 5 cm) with hepatic involvement in the upper pole of the right kidney. The hematoxylin and eosin, Prucian blue and von-Kossa stainings, and electron microscopy demonstrated the classical histologic features of malakoplakia with Von Hansemann histiocytes containing Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. The patient is well 5 months after surgery. This case emphasizes that initial diagnoses can be difficult because of the rare occurrence of RM and its resemblance to renal cell carcinoma with hepatic extension.