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Nutrients
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Dietary Components and the Immune System: Nutritional and Allergenic Perspectives
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Dietary Components and the Immune System: Nutritional and Allergenic Perspectives

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2026 | Viewed by 9838

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Xin Rui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Interests: protein and polysaccharides' nutrition and functional properties; microbial conversion of dairy/legume source proteins and polysaccharides and their relation to bioactive properties; development of novel dairy products targeting improved bioactive/functional properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dietary components, ranging from macronutrients and micronutrients to bioactive compounds and food-derived proteins, can trigger an immune response in sensitive individuals. These allergic reactions can range in severity, from mild symptoms such as hives and gastrointestinal discomfort to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Studying allergenic substances is critical to understanding food allergies, which affect a significant portion of the global population. Investigating specific allergenic substances can help us to identify and characterize the mechanisms underlying these immune responses. A thorough understanding of these allergens is essential for the development of effective strategies for food allergy prevention and management.

For this Special Issue, we encourage the submission of manuscripts that focus on the effects that dietary components have on allergic reactions. We are particularly interested in studies that provide mechanistic insights into how proteins and allergens in food impact immune function and human health.

Prof. Dr. Xin Rui
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant-derived foods
  • immune responses
  • hypoallergenic foods
  • allergenic proteins
  • food allergies
  • human health

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 16647 KB  
Article
A Specific Ratio of Dietary Short-Chain and Long-Chain Fructo-Oligosaccharides Shifts the Immune Response Away from Type 2 in a Murine Model for House Dust Mite-Induced Asthma
by Roos E. M. Verstegen, Marit Zuurveld, Suzan Thijssen, Marjolein J. W. de Bruijn, Ingrid van Ark, Mara A. P. Diks, Johan Garssen, Gert Folkerts, Atanaska I. Kostadinova, Rudi W. Hendriks and Linette E. M. Willemsen
Nutrients 2025, 17(22), 3520; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17223520 - 11 Nov 2025
Viewed by 701
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The gut microbiome has an important role in immune regulation, and dietary interventions that support a balanced microbiota may help to prevent the development of allergic asthma. Dietary fibers can beneficially affect the intestinal microbiome, but due to the diversity of [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The gut microbiome has an important role in immune regulation, and dietary interventions that support a balanced microbiota may help to prevent the development of allergic asthma. Dietary fibers can beneficially affect the intestinal microbiome, but due to the diversity of fiber types, the effects differ. In this study, we investigate the preventive effects of two mixes of short-chain and long-chain (1:1 and 9:1 ratio) fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) in a mouse model of house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic asthma. Methods: BALB/c mice received FOS-supplemented (1% w/w) diets before and during intranasal exposures to HDM. Endpoint airway hyperreactivity measurements were performed, followed by the collection of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung, serum and cecum content. Fecal microbiome composition was determined by DNA sequencing and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels were determined in the cecum, serum and lung. Results: Fecal microbiome analyses revealed an increased abundance of Prevotellaceae after FOS1:1 supplementation in HDM-allergic mice. Additionally, FOS1:1 protected against an HDM-induced increase in basal airway resistance. Both FOS1:1 and FOS9:1 restored the systemic acetate levels in HDM-allergic mice. The two FOS supplementations did not affect HDM-induced inflammatory cell influx in the BALF. However, FOS1:1 increased the frequency of Th1-cells and prevented an HDM-induced increase in the Th2/Th1 balance. Upon ex vivo restimulation with HDM, lung cell suspensions of FOS1:1-fed mice produced less type 2-related cytokines compared to control-supplemented mice, and FOS9:1 followed a similar pattern. Conclusions: Specific short-chain and long-chain FOS ratios differentially affect the microbiome and immune system in a mouse model with HDM-induced allergic airway inflammation. Dietary supplementation with FOS1:1 shifts the immune response away from type 2, suggesting that dietary fibers like FOS1:1 may contribute as a part of a broader strategy to modulate HDM-induced allergic asthma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Components and the Immune System: Nutritional and Allergenic Perspectives)
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Review

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30 pages, 451 KB  
Review
Research Advancements in Peanut Proteins, Their Allergenic Potentials, and the Approaches to Mitigate Peanut Allergenicity
by Jianmei Yu and Mahshid Eghbali
Nutrients 2025, 17(19), 3078; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193078 - 27 Sep 2025
Viewed by 2025
Abstract
With increasing interest and demand for plant protein-based foods, the allergenicity of plant proteins has been placed in a very important position. Among plant food allergens, peanuts have been considered the most potent because peanuts often cause severe allergic reactions, even life-threatening anaphylaxis. [...] Read more.
With increasing interest and demand for plant protein-based foods, the allergenicity of plant proteins has been placed in a very important position. Among plant food allergens, peanuts have been considered the most potent because peanuts often cause severe allergic reactions, even life-threatening anaphylaxis. It is well-known that allergenic proteins in peanuts trigger peanut-induced allergic reactions through binding to the immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in the patients sensitive to peanuts. So far, eighteen peanut allergens have been identified. These allergens belong to different protein superfamilies with distinctive characteristics and allergenic potentials. Due to the rapid rise in peanut allergy prevalence in the past few decades, many studies have been conducted to reveal the effects of primary structures (epitopes) and conformational structures of peanut proteins on their allergenicity and to explore methods and strategies to mitigate peanut allergenicity and peanut allergy. This comprehensive review highlights the nutritional value of peanut protein related to its amino acid composition, the current prevalence of peanut allergies and its impacts on quality of life, the recent research findings on the characteristics and allergenic potential of individual peanut allergens, and the potential and challenges of different approaches and methods for mitigating peanut allergenicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Components and the Immune System: Nutritional and Allergenic Perspectives)
16 pages, 764 KB  
Review
Biotin Supplementation—The Cause of Hypersensitivity and Significant Interference in Allergy Diagnostics
by Kinga Lis
Nutrients 2025, 17(15), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17152423 - 24 Jul 2025
Viewed by 6364
Abstract
Biotin (vitamin B7) is a common, naturally occurring water-soluble vitamin. It belongs to the broad group of B vitamins. It is a common ingredient in dietary supplements, cosmetics, medicines, and parapharmaceutical preparations administered orally or applied topically (to the skin, hair, nails). The [...] Read more.
Biotin (vitamin B7) is a common, naturally occurring water-soluble vitamin. It belongs to the broad group of B vitamins. It is a common ingredient in dietary supplements, cosmetics, medicines, and parapharmaceutical preparations administered orally or applied topically (to the skin, hair, nails). The problem of the relationship between vitamin B supplementation and sensitivity seems to be multi-threaded. There is little literature data that would confirm that oral vitamin B supplementation or local exposure to biotin is a significant sensitizing factor. Moreover, it seems that allergy to vitamin B7 is very rare. It is possible, however, that the relationship between biotin and hypersensitivity is not limited to its direct action, but results from its essential metabolic function. Vitamin B7, as a cofactor of five carboxylases, affects the main pathways of cellular metabolism. Both deficiency and excess of biotin can result in metabolic disorders, which can have a significant impact on the homeostasis of the entire organism, including the efficient functioning of the immune system. Dysregulation of immune systems leads to its dysfunctional functioning, which can also lead to sensitization to various environmental antigens (allergens). Biotin is also used as an element of some methodological models in immunochemical tests (in vitro diagnostics), including methods used to measure the concentration of immunoglobulin E (IgE), both total (tIgE) and allergen-specific (sIgE). For this reason, vitamin B7 supplementation can be a significant interfering factor in some immunochemical tests, which can lead to false laboratory test results, both false positive and false negative, depending on the test format. This situation can have a direct impact on the quality and effectiveness of diagnostics in various clinical situations, including allergy diagnostics. This review focuses on the role of biotin in allergic reactions, both as a causative factor (allergen/hapten), a factor predisposing to the development of sensitization to various allergens, and an interfering factor in immunochemical methods used in laboratory diagnosis of hypersensitivity reactions and how it can be prevented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Components and the Immune System: Nutritional and Allergenic Perspectives)
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