Green banana flour as a novel functional ingredient in retorted feline diets.

Green banana flour (GBF) is a novel ingredient that is high in resistant starch and could be a dietary fiber source in companion animal nutrition. In addition, with its light brown color and pectin content, GBF could potentially serve as a natural color additive and thickening agent in pet food manufacturing. The purpose of this research is to evaluate different sources of GBF, the effect of GBF on texture and color in canned foods, and its effect on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), fecal characteristics, and fecal fermentative end-products in healthy adult cats. Prior to the feline study, different sources of GBF were analyzed for chemical composition, manufacturing properties, true metabolizable energy, and fermentability. For the feline feeding trial, all treatment diets were formulated to meet or exceed the Association of American Feed Control Officials (Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) 2020. Official Publication. Champaign, IL.) guidelines for adult cat maintenance. There were five dietary treatments: rice control (4% rice flour), potato control (4% dehydrated potato flakes), 1% GBF (1% GBF and 3% rice flour), 2% GBF (2% GBF and 2% rice flour), and 4% GBF. All treatment diets were analyzed for texture and color. The animal study was conducted using a completely randomized design with 39 adult domestic cats. There was a 7-d diet adaptation period followed by a baseline fresh fecal collection to determine fecal score, pH, short-chain fatty acid, branched-chain fatty acid, phenol, indole, ammonia, and microbiota. The treatment period lasted for 21 d and a total fecal collection was performed during the last 4 d of this period to determine the ATTD. A fresh fecal sample was also collected during the total fecal collection to evaluate fecal score, pH, metabolites, and microbiota. The MIXED model procedures of SAS version 9.4 were used for statistical analysis. Treatment diets containing GBF had a lower hardness from the texture profile analysis (P < 0.05). For color analysis, the 4% GBF diet was darker in color compared with the rice diet (P < 0.05). There was no difference in food intake, fecal output, or ATTD of macronutrients among the treatment groups (P > 0.05). There was no interaction of treatment and time or main effects shown in fecal score, pH, metabolites, or microbiota diversity (P > 0.05). In conclusion, adding GBF to canned diets may affect the texture and color of the product, but GBF was comparable to traditional carbohydrate sources, rice, and potato, from a nutritional aspect.

Green banana flour (GBF) is a novel ingredient in the pet food industry but has been gaining popularity in human nutrition. Not only can GBF be a source of dietary fiber in pet foods, but the natural brown color and hygroscopic properties also show the potential in contributing to physical characteristics. With its soluble fiber content, green banana flour has fewer calories than a digestible starch and is partially fermentable. The current study aimed to examine the effect of green banana flour on canned cat foods in comparison to traditional starch sources. Canned diets were made with predominately chicken and the test carbohydrate sources of rice flour, dehydrated potato flakes, and/or green banana flour. Canned food with a high inclusion rate of green banana flour showed differences in texture and color when compared with traditional diets; the finding indicated that green banana flour could be utilized to obtain desirable wet food characteristics, including color and texture. As a carbohydrate source in the canned diet, green banana flour had comparable effects on digestibility and gut microbiota to traditional starches when fed to cats. In conclusion, green banana flour can be used as an alternative carbohydrate source in canned diets and contribute to product texture and color.

A Description of Apixaban Dosing Patterns for Treatment or Prevention of Thrombotic Events in Hospitalized Patients on Dialysis.

Introduction: Apixaban is currently the only oral direct factor Xa inhibitor approved for treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients on hemodialysis. Exclusion of dialysis patients from major clinical trials results in prescriber uncertainty regarding the optimal dose of apixaban for VTE treatment in this population. This study sought to characterize the variance in apixaban prescribing patterns for thrombotic indications other than atrial fibrillation. Methods: This retrospective, multi-center, descriptive study analyzed apixaban dosing patterns for hospitalized chronic dialysis patients with history of thrombosis. The primary outcome was incidence of deviation from manufacturer recommendations for dosing, assessed for either a new start or receipt prior to hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included observation of recurrent thrombotic and bleeding event rates during subsequent hospitalizations. Patients were analyzed into subgroups according to type of thrombotic indication for treatment. Data are reported with descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 101 patients were included. Deviations in recommended dosing were observed in 53 of 80 (66.2%) patients receiving apixaban for treatment of acute or chronic thrombosis. Of 44 patients started on apixaban during hospitalization for the indication of acute VTE, a dose deviation was observed in 79.5% of patients. Rates of rehospitalization for recurrent thrombotic events and bleeding were 11.8% and 9.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Variation in apixaban prescribing practices for the treatment of VTE in dialysis patients is common, suggesting an urgent need for prospective studies and updated dosing guidance to optimize safety with apixaban use in this population.

Analysis of Intravenous Insulin Dosing Requirements for Treatment of Severe Hypertriglyceridemia.

Purpose: Insulin infusion therapy is commonly utilized for treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia, however, data supporting a standardized dosing approach is lacking. This study aimed to determine the average initial insulin dose utilized for treatment of hypertriglyceridemia and the associated reduction in serum triglycerides. Methods: This single-center, retrospective, descriptive analysis conducted at an academic medical center included adult hospitalized patients with serum triglyceride levels greater than 1000 mg/dL receiving treatment with an intravenous insulin infusion between November 2017 and August 2020. Data was extracted from the electronic medical record. The primary outcome was the mean weight-based intravenous insulin dose resulting in resolution of hypertriglyceridemia. Secondary outcomes included time to resolution of hypertriglyceridemia, adverse events associated with insulin treatment, incidence of rebound hypertriglyceridemia, and use of additional lipid-lowering therapies. Results: Data from 32 hospital encounters was analyzed. The mean initial triglyceride level was 3229 mg/dL. The average insulin doses observed on days 1 and 2 of therapy were 0.07 and 0.05 units/kg/hour, respectively. The mean percent triglyceride reduction at 48 hours was 40%. Mean time to resolution of hypertriglyceridemia, discontinuation of insulin infusion, or discharge was 5.7 days. Hypoglycemia and hypokalemia were observed in 9% and 29% of patients, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study provide new guidance for insulin dosing for hypertriglyceridemia. Serum potassium levels and blood glucose should be monitored closely during therapy.

Evaluation of Medications Used for Hospitalized Patients With Sleep Disturbances: A Frequency Analysis and Literature Review.

PURPOSE: Poor sleep during hospitalization is common and implicated in worse patient outcomes. Despite implementation of non-pharmacologic techniques, medications are still frequently required. The study objective is to assess the frequency of new medications administered for sleep in hospitalized patients and to review literature evaluating these drug therapies in the inpatient setting. METHODS: This retrospective study included adult inpatients if they received a new medication for sleep during a 5-day period. Patients were excluded if the medication was continued from home or if sleep was not the documented indication. For the literature review, a MEDLINE search was conducted to identify studies pertaining to pharmacotherapy for sleep in hospitalized patients. RESULTS: Of 1,968 patient-days reviewed, a medication for sleep was given for 166 patient-days (8.4%) in 78 patients. Melatonin was most commonly received (70.5%), followed by benzodiazepines (9.6%). A review of antihistamines, benzodiazepines, melatonin, quetiapine, trazodone, and Z-drugs (non-benzodiazepine hypnotics) was conducted and 23 studies were included. CONCLUSIONS: Despite widespread use of pharmacotherapy for sleep, there is a paucity of data evaluating use in the inpatient setting. Although there is significant heterogeneity among studies, melatonin has the strongest evidence for use and is an attractive option given its lack of adverse reactions and drug interactions. Benzodiazepines and Z-drugs were also frequently utilized; however, their reduced clearance in the elderly and potential for compounded sedative effects should be weighed heavily against potential sleep benefits. Antipsychotic agents cannot be recommended for routine use due to limited data and the potential for significant adverse effects.

Impacts of vitamin premix and/or yeast ingredient inclusion in a canned cat food on thiamin retention during 6 months of storage.

Introduction: Low thiamin levels in thermally processed canned cat foods are concerning for the pet food industry. However, there is little information on storage stability of thiamin in this food format or if inclusion of select ingredients, such as dried yeasts, has an effect. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the storage stability of thiamin when a vitamin premix and/or yeasts ingredients were included in a canned cat food. Materials and methods: The factorial treatment arrangement consisted of 2 levels of vitamin premix (with or without) and 4 inclusions of yeast (NY = none, LBV = Lalmin B Complex Vitamins, BY = product #1064B, or EA = BGYADVANTAGE). Diets were stored for 6 months and analyzed every month for thiamin. Data were analyzed as a mixed model (SAS v. 9.4; SAS Institute, Cary, NC) with fixed effects (vitamin premix, yeast, time, and their two-way and three-way interactions) and random effects (production day and the interaction of production day, vitamin premix, and yeast). Significance was set at P < 0.05 and Fisher's LSD was used to separate means. Results and discussion: Diets including the vitamin premix [average 55.1 mg/kg dry matter basis (DMB)] contained more (P < 0.05) thiamin than diets that did not (average 7.5 mg/kg DMB). Inclusion of LBV (average 40.3 mg/kg DMB) resulted in the highest (P < 0.05) levels of thiamin, followed by BY (P < 0.05; average 26.9 mg/kg DMB). Diets with NY and EA contained the lowest (P < 0.05) levels of thiamin and were not different from each other (P > 0.05; average 19.3 mg/kg DMB). The diet containing vitamin premix without yeast lost (P < 0.05) 17.8% thiamin while diets containing a yeast ingredient maintained thiamin levels better during storage. This suggested that thiamin from yeast ingredients was more resistant to degradation during storage and should be considered when designing new canned cat foods.

Allergenicity reduction of the bio-elicited peanut sprout powder (BPSP) and toxicological acceptance of BPSP-supplemented diets assessed with ICR mice.

The allergenic and toxicological acceptances of the bio-elicited peanut sprout powder (BPSP) have not been assessed. BPSP was generated from peanut kernels germinated at 26-28 °C for 72 h (designated as 72 h-NGS). The 72 h-NGS were subsequently sliced, incubated, dried, defatted and pulverized to generate bio-elicited peanut sprout powder (BPSP). Protein solubility of BPSP increased 2.6-fold compared to 72 h-NGS. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed BPSP production triggered extensive degradation of the high-molecular weight peanut allergic proteins, mainly Ara h 1 and Ara h 3. Western blotting detected with peanut allergic patients' IgE indicated decreased in vitro reactivity. Food safety assessment of BPSP was performed with ICR mice fed with basal (control) and three doses of formulated BPSP-supplemented diets containing 0.11 g (normal), 2.5 g (high) and 25 g (super high) BPSP /kg BW. Animals appeared healthy with steady body weight gain in all groups during the entire 35-day dietary intervention. Hematological and serum biochemical analyses revealed no significant difference among groups. Histopathological examination on the tissue sections of primary organs further supported safety with no pathologies. The in vitro allergic reduction and toxicological safety in the BPSP-supplemented dietary intervention in the ICR mice study, support moving forward with BPSP-involved product development. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05537-7.

Lipid Expansion Microscopy.

Strategies to visualize cellular membranes with light microscopy are restricted by the diffraction limit of light, which far exceeds the dimensions of lipid bilayers. Here, we describe a method for super-resolution imaging of metabolically labeled phospholipids within cellular membranes. Guided by the principles of expansion microscopy, we develop an all-small molecule approach that enables direct chemical anchoring of bioorthogonally labeled phospholipids into a hydrogel network and is capable of super-resolution imaging of cellular membranes. We apply this method, termed lipid expansion microscopy (LExM), to visualize organelle membranes with precision, including a unique class of membrane-bound structures known as nuclear invaginations. Compatible with standard confocal microscopes, LExM will be widely applicable for super-resolution imaging of phospholipids and cellular membranes in numerous physiological contexts.

Composition and thermal processing evaluation of yeast ingredients as thiamin sources compared to a standard vitamin premix for canned cat food.

Significant improvement in thiamin retention of canned cat food has not been achieved by altering processing conditions. Some ingredients, such as yeasts, may supply thiamin able to withstand thermal processing. Therefore, the study objective was to evaluate yeast ingredients as thiamin sources for canned cat food. Six yeast ingredients were screened for thiamin content, and values ranged from 9.9-4,283.8 mg/kg dry matter basis (DMB). Treatments for thermal processing were arranged as a 2×4 factorial with 2 levels of vitamin premix (with or without) and 4 yeast ingredients (NY = none and LBV, BY, or EA from the ingredient screening). Replicates (n = 3) were processed in a horizontal still retort to an average lethality of 79.23 minutes. Thiamin degradation was analyzed as a mixed model with pre-retort thiamin content as a covariate and production day as a random effect. Main effects of vitamin premix and yeast and their interaction were significant at P-values less than 0.05. The Fisher's LSD post hoc comparison test was used to separate means. On average, experimental formulas retained 33.75% thiamin. The main effect of vitamin premix (average -42.9 mg/kg DMB) was not significant (P > 0.05). Thiamin degradation between NY (-31.3 mg/kg DMB) and BY (-33.8 mg/kg DMB) was similar (P > 0.05) whereas EA (-40.5 mg/kg DMB) and LBV (-55.6 mg/kg DMB) lost more (P < 0.05) thiamin than NY. The experimental formula of EA with vitamin premix (-70.3 mg/kg DMB) lost more (P < 0.05) thiamin than no yeast, BY, or EA without vitamin premix (average -17.4 mg/kg DMB) and all others (average -57.3 mg/kg DMB) were intermediate (P > 0.05). In summary, thiamin from yeast ingredients didn't exhibit better thermal stability than thiamin mononitrate. However, those ingredients with similar degradation levels or uniquely high thiamin levels may provide added value.

A retrospective cohort study of the effect of rapid versus delayed-result procalcitonin testing on antibiotic use at a community hospital.

BACKGROUND: Procalcitonin is a serum biomarker used to distinguish bacterial infection from viral or noninfectious syndromes. Primary literature shows mixed data on use of procalcitonin for de-escalation of antimicrobials. Delays in test results of send-out procalcitonin assays may result in prolonged antimicrobial durations. It is unknown whether availability of rapid-result assays may shorten time to antibiotic de-escalation. AIM: This retrospective, cohort study compared antibiotic durations of treatment between groups with rapid-result versus delayed send-out, procalcitonin test modality. This study was exempt from Ethics Committee Approval, as determined by the Institutional Review Board at the study site. METHOD: Adult hospitalized patients were included if they had at least one procalcitonin test performed during the study period. The primary outcome compared mean duration of antimicrobial therapy between groups receiving a rapid-result procalcitonin test and a send-out test. Secondary outcomes included incidence of Clostridiodes difficile infection, mention of procalcitonin testing in the electronic medical record in reference to antimicrobial therapy decision making, and presence of comorbidities which affect procalcitonin levels independent of infection. RESULTS: A total of 350 lab results were analyzed. The duration of antimicrobial treatment between groups was not statistically different with the median duration of treatment in the send-out group being 2.95 days compared to 3.35 in the rapid result group, p = 0.856. Patient comorbidities with potential to lead to a noninfectious elevation or falsely high level of procalcitonin were common. CONCLUSION: Use of a rapid-result procalcitonin assay does not reduce hospital antimicrobial therapy duration as compared with send-out testing.

Comparison of physical activity patterns across large, medium and small urban areas and rural settings in the Otago Region, New Zealand.

AIM: This study compared accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA) patterns in adolescents living in diverse urban and rural areas of Otago, New Zealand. METHOD: Participants (n=377; age: 14.9±1.4 years; 66.8% female; 23 schools) completed an online school travel survey, anthropometry and seven-day PA accelerometer assessment. Participants resided in large (n=237), medium (n=45) and small (n=44) urban areas or rural settings (n=51). RESULTS: Overall, participants participated in 54.4±21.0 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily and 35.0% met PA guidelines (school day vs weekend day: 40.8% vs 26.0%; p<0.001) with no difference across geographical settings. A greater proportion of males (43.2% vs 31.9%; p=0.016), school sport participants (70.1% vs 54.0%; p=0.005) and active-transport-to-school users (40.2% vs 26.1%) met PA guidelines compared to their counterparts. Compared to rural adolescents, those from large urban areas accumulated more MVPA during the school commute time (before school: 8.3±6.7 vs 5.3±3.8 minutes, p<0.001; after school: 10.1±6.0 vs 7.7±4.3 min, p=0.003), but overall spent more time sedentary (584.9±84.7 vs 527.8±88.2 minutes/day; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: PA in Otago adolescents is low, with significant differences by gender, sport participation, mode of travel to school and geographical setting. Increased PA should be encouraged in both urban and rural adolescents.

Lipids: chemical tools for their synthesis, modification, and analysis.

Lipids remain one of the most enigmatic classes of biological molecules. Whereas lipids are well known to form basic units of membrane structure and energy storage, deciphering the exact roles and biological interactions of distinct lipid species has proven elusive. How these building blocks are synthesized, trafficked, and stored are also questions that require closer inspection. This tutorial review covers recent advances on the preparation, derivatization, and analysis of lipids. In particular, we describe several chemical approaches that form part of a powerful toolbox for controlling and characterizing lipid structure. We believe these tools will be helpful in numerous applications, including the study of lipid-protein interactions and the development of novel drug delivery systems.

Effects of an automatic discontinuation of antibiotics policy: A novel approach to antimicrobial stewardship.

PURPOSE: A novel automatic discontinuation policy implemented within an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is described, and results of an evaluation of the policy's effects on antibiotic usage are reported. METHODS: A retrospective, before-and-after study was conducted at an 800-bed, tertiary care, academic teaching hospital to evaluate selected antibiotic usage outcomes in both intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU adult patients targeted for ASP interventions before and after implementation of an automatic discontinuation of antibiotics policy (ADAP) authorizing the ASP team to automatically halt antibiotic therapy in cases involving inappropriate duplicate antimicrobial coverage or excess duration of therapy. The primary outcome was total days of antibiotic therapy. Secondary outcomes included excess days of therapy and rates of 30-day readmission, Clostridioides difficile infection, and multidrug-resistant infection. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in group demographics or clinical characteristics. The most common indication for antibiotics was hospital-acquired pneumonia, and the most common reason for ASP intervention was excess duration of therapy. The mean total number of antibiotic days per patient was reduced from 7.6 days in the pre-ADAP group to 6.6 days in the post-ADAP group (p < 0.05). The mean number of excess days of antibiotics was similarly reduced, from 2.3 days to 1.5 days, after implementation of the ADAP (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Adoption of an ADAP-a more active approach to ASP interventions-was effective in reducing overall antibiotic usage and improving the efficiency of the ASP.

Nanohoop Rotaxanes from Active Metal Template Syntheses and Their Potential in Sensing Applications.

The unique optoelectronic properties and smooth, rigid pores of macrocycles with radially oriented π systems render them fascinating candidates for the design of novel mechanically interlocked molecules with new properties. Two high-yielding strategies are used to prepare nanohoop [2]rotaxanes, which owing to the π-rich macrocycle are highly emissive. Then, metal coordination, an intrinsic property afforded by the resulting mechanical bond, can lead to molecular shuttling as well as modulate the observed fluorescence in both organic and aqueous conditions. Inspired by these findings, a self-immolative [2]rotaxane was then designed that self-destructs in the presence of an analyte, eliciting a strong fluorescent turn-on response, serving as proof-of-concept for a new type of molecular sensing material. More broadly, this work highlights the conceptual advantages of combining compact π-rich macrocyclic frameworks with mechanical bonds formed via active-template syntheses.

Expanding the Chemical Space of Biocompatible Fluorophores: Nanohoops in Cells.

The design and optimization of fluorescent molecules has driven the ability to interrogate complex biological events in real time. Notably, most advances in bioimaging fluorophores are based on optimization of core structures that have been known for over a century. Recently, new synthetic methods have resulted in an explosion of nonplanar conjugated macrocyclic molecules with unique optical properties yet to be harnessed in a biological context. Herein we report the synthesis of the first aqueous-soluble carbon nanohoop (i.e., a macrocyclic slice of a carbon nanotube prepared via organic synthesis) and demonstrate its bioimaging capabilities in live cells. Moreover, we illustrate that these scaffolds can be easily modified by well-established "click" chemistry to enable targeted live cell imaging. This work establishes the nanohoops as an exciting new class of macrocyclic fluorophores poised for further development as novel bioimaging tools.

An Operationally Simple and Mild Oxidative Homocoupling of Aryl Boronic Esters To Access Conformationally Constrained Macrocycles.

Constrained macrocyclic scaffolds are recognized as challenging synthetic motifs with few general macrocyclization methods capable of accessing these types of systems. Although palladium catalyzed oxidative homocoupling of aryl boronic acids and esters to biphenyls has been recognized as a common byproduct in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings for decades, this reactivity has not been leveraged for the synthesis of challenging molecules. Here we report an oxidative boronic ester homocoupling reaction as a mild method for the synthesis of strained and conformationally restricted macrocycles. Higher yields and better efficiencies are observed for intramolecular diboronic ester homocouplings when directly compared to the analogous intramolecular Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings or reductive Yamamoto homocouplings. Substrates included strained polyphenylene macrocycles, strained cycloalkynes, and a key macrocyclic intermediate toward the synthesis of acerogenin A. Notably, this oxidative homocoupling reaction is performed at room temperature, open to atmosphere, and without the need to rigorously exclude water, thus representing an operationally simple alternative to traditional cross-coupling macrocyclizations. The mechanism of the reaction was investigated indicating that 1-5 nm palladium nanoparticles may serve as the active catalyst.

Perceived and actual noise levels in critical care units.

PURPOSE: To compare the noise levels perceived by critical care nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to actual noise levels in the ICU. METHODS: Following a pilot study (n=18) and revision of the survey tool, a random sample of nurses were surveyed twice in a 3-day period (n=108). Nurses perception of noise was compared to the actual sound pressure level using descriptive statistics. MAJOR RESULTS: Nurses perceived the ICUs to be noisier than the actual values. The ICU was louder than the recommended noise level for resotrative sleep. This finding raises the question of how we can assist nurses to reduce what they perceive to be a loud environment. APPLICATION: Future work is needed to develop interventions specifically for nurses to raise awareness of noise in the ICU and to provide them with skills to assist in noise reduction.

Towards pi-extended cycloparaphenylenes as seeds for CNT growth: investigating strain relieving ring-openings and rearrangements.

Despite significant multidisciplinary effort over many years, the preparation of uniform carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is still an unsolved problem in the scientific community. This inaccessibility hampers the commercial use of CNTs in electronic devices due to the sensitive connection between their electronic properties and molecular structure. The [n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs), the smallest horizontal segment of an armchair CNT, hold great promise as "seeds", or templates, for the preparation of homogenous batches of CNTs. Initial reports towards this goal, however, suggest that it would be advantageous to pi-extend these structures through traditional organic synthesis before their use in CNT growth. Towards this, several strategies have been reported attempting to utilize the Scholl reaction on aryl-substituted cycloparaphenylenes to yield a small CNT for use as a template for larger tubes. Prominently used in polyaromatic hydrocarbon chemistry, the Scholl reaction has afforded numerous extraordinary targets, such as graphene nanoribbons and graphene propellors. In this work, both experimental and computational studies are provided to unravel the complex cationic rearrangements and ring-openings associated with the Scholl reaction in the context of the cycloparaphenylenes-systems that are thermodynamically and kinetically different from flat graphene fragments. Additionally, this work demonstrates the unique reactivity of cycloparaphenylenes in the context of cationic or radical cationic intermediates, which are common reaction pathways for numerous transformations.

Stability and immunogenicity of hypoallergenic peanut protein-polyphenol complexes during in vitro pepsin digestion.

Allergenic peanut proteins are relatively resistant to digestion, and if digested, metabolized peptides tend to remain large and immunoreactive, triggering allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. In this study, the stability of hypoallergenic peanut protein-polyphenol complexes was evaluated during simulated in vitro gastric digestion. When digested with pepsin, the basic subunit of the peanut allergen Ara h 3 was more rapidly hydrolyzed in peanut protein-cranberry or green tea polyphenol complexes compared to uncomplexed peanut flour. Ara h 2 was also hydrolyzed more quickly in the peanut protein-cranberry polyphenol complex than in uncomplexed peanut flour. Peptides from peanut protein-cranberry polyphenol complexes and peanut protein-green tea polyphenol complexes were substantially less immunoreactive (based on their capacity to bind to peanut-specific IgE from patient plasma) compared to peptides from uncomplexed peanut flour. These results suggest that peanut protein-polyphenol complexes may be less immunoreactive passing through the digestive tract in vivo, contributing to their attenuated allergenicity.

Novel strategy to create hypoallergenic peanut protein-polyphenol edible matrices for oral immunotherapy.

Peanut allergy is an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. Upon peanut consumption by an allergic individual, epitopes on peanut proteins bind and cross-link peanut-specific IgE on mast cell and basophil surfaces triggering the cells to release inflammatory mediators responsible for allergic reactions. Polyphenolic phytochemicals have high affinity to bind proteins and form soluble and insoluble complexes with unique functionality. This study investigated the allergenicity of polyphenol-fortified peanut matrices prepared by complexing various polyphenol-rich plant juices and extracts with peanut flour. Polyphenol-fortified peanut matrices reduced IgE binding to one or more peanut allergens (Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6). Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) suggested changes in secondary protein structure. Peanut protein-cranberry polyphenol fortified matrices triggered significantly less basophil degranulation than unmodified flour in an ex vivo assay using human blood and less mast cell degranulation when used to orally challenge peanut-allergic mice. Polyphenol fortification of peanut flour resulted in a hypoallergenic matrix with reduced IgE binding and degranulation capacity, likely due to changes in protein secondary structure or masking of epitopes, suggesting potential applications for oral immunotherapy.