SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2006

12/20/06

Novel dietary approaches to food allergy and G-I infection

Summary
Background – There is an increasing prevalence of food allergy (FA) in developed countries. G-I infections are still a major cause of morbidity and even mortality in many developing countries and even cause periodic small epidemics (e.g. – E. Coli sub-type infections) in the USA.

Findings – Some new approaches to decreasing FA and enhancing protective immune responses against infection within the G-I tract were described by Perr of the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, CA. Currently, the only consistently effective therapeutic approach to FA is avoidance of the offending food(s). However, there is currently intensive investigation of methods to possibly alter the chemistry of food products by selective mutations to reduce, if not eliminate, the content of the most prevalent food allergens. In another investigative approach foods are being altered by molecular techniques to contain certain non-infectious antigenic fragments very similar to that in certain enteric pathogens. These fragments have the capacity to stimulate local protective immunity against these pathogens within the G-I tract.

Reference
Curr Allergy and Asthma Reports 2006;6: 153-159

Editor's Comments
Previous approaches to FA other than avoidance of suspect foods have resulted in very limited success. Oral immunotherapy approaches have usually not been successful and may be hazardous. Monoclonal anti-IgE treatment may allow partial tolerance of the offending foods. If genetic or other alteration of the allergenic constituency of foods can be accomplished without adversely effecting taste and/or nutritional value, a major advance may be at hand.

Previous attempts to enhance local G-I protective immunity against enteric pathogens by injected vaccines have generally not been very successful. There may also be limited access to such vaccines in developing countries where they are needed most. Thus, oral immunization with altered foods may be a very valuable approach.

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