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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2013) | Viewed by 75334

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Prof. Dr. Mark S. Kuhlenschmidt

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Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61802, USA
Interests: microbial adhesion; host-pathogen interactions; infectious disease; apicomplexan parasites; nutriceuticals; receptor therapy; complex carbohydrate biochemistry; neoglycoconjugates; lipids (LPUFA)
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All articles published in Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643) are published in full open access. An article processing charge (APC) applies to papers accepted after peer review.

Keywords

Infectious Diseases
Nutrition
Undernutrition
Malnutrition
Obesity
Nutriceuticals
Nutrigenomics
Nutritional enteropathy
Vaccine
Immunization
Inflammation
Immunology
Immunomodulation
Macrophage
Cytokines
Pathogenesis
Virus
Parasites
Bacteria
Opportunistic Infections
Pulmonary
Gastrointestinal
Diarrhea
Epidemiology,
Mineral Metabolism,
Micronutrients,
Macronutrients,
Biomarkers,
Tropical Medicine,
Africa,
Sub-Saharan

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 441 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Dietary Zinc Manipulation on Growth Performance, Zinc Status and Immune Response during Giardia lamblia Infection: A Study in CD-1 Mice

by Gemma Iñigo-Figueroa, Rosa O. Méndez-Estrada, Luis Quihui-Cota, Carlos A. Velásquez-Contreras, Adriana Garibay-Escobar, Rafael Canett-Romero and Humberto Astiazarán-García

Nutrients 2013, 5(9), 3447-3460; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5093447 - 2 Sep 2013

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 9682

Abstract

Associations between Giardia lamblia infection and low serum concentrations of zinc have been reported in young children. Interestingly, relatively few studies have examined the effects of different dietary zinc levels on the parasite-infected host. The aims of this study were to compare the growth performance and zinc status in response to varying levels of dietary zinc and to measure the antibody-mediated response of mice during G. lamblia infection. Male CD-1 mice were fed using 1 of 4 experimental diets: adequate-zinc (ZnA), low-zinc (ZnL), high-zinc (ZnH) and supplemented-zinc (ZnS) diet containing 30, 10, 223 and 1383 mg Zn/kg respectively. After a 10 days feeding period, mice were inoculated orally with 5 × 10⁶ G. lamblia trophozoites and were maintained on the assigned diet during the course of infection (30 days). Giardia-free mice fed ZnL diets were able to attain normal growth and antibody-mediated response. Giardia-infected mice fed ZnL and ZnA diets presented a significant growth retardation compared to non-infected controls. Zinc supplementation avoided this weight loss during G. lamblia infection and up-regulated the host’s humoral immune response by improving the production of specific antibodies. Clinical outcomes of zinc supplementation during giardiasis included significant weight gain, higher anti-G. lamblia IgG antibodies and improved serum zinc levels despite the ongoing infection. A maximum growth rate and antibody-mediated response were attained in mice fed ZnH diet. No further increases in body weight, zinc status and humoral immune capacity were noted by feeding higher zinc levels (ZnS) than the ZnH diet. These findings probably reflect biological effect of zinc that could be of public health importance in endemic areas of infection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Infectious Diseases)

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12 pages, 381 KB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Viable Lactobacillus reuteri DSMZ 17648 (Pylopass™) as a New Approach to Helicobacter pylori Control in Humans

by Heidrun Mehling and Andreas Busjahn

Nutrients 2013, 5(8), 3062-3073; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5083062 - 2 Aug 2013

Cited by 69 | Viewed by 21863

Abstract

Prevalence of infections by Helicobacter pylori, a pathogen involved in a number of gastrointestinal diseases, remains high in developing countries. Management of infections by eradication is not always an option. Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) DSMZ17648 (Pylopass™/Lonza) specifically co-aggregates H. pylori in vitro and was shown to reduce ¹³C urea breath test in vivo. In this pilot study, we tried to replicate previous findings in an independent sample and to evaluate effects of spray-drying vs. freeze-drying of cultures. A single-blinded, placebo-controlled study was done in 22 H. pylori positive, asymptomatic adults. H. pylori levels were determined by ¹³C-urea-breath method after 14 days of supplementation, as well as after 6, 12, and 24 weeks follow-up. In the test group, but not in the placebo group, a significant reduction of H. pylori was observed. For the first time, spray-dried cells of L. reuteri DSMZ17648 have been used in a human study and results are in line with the first study results, supplementing with freeze-dried material. This is of special interest as spray-drying results in dead cell material, meaning that the effect of L. reuteri must be independent of its probiotic activity. These results confirm the potential of Pylopass™ as a novel way to reduce the load of H. pylori. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Infectious Diseases)

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14 pages, 577 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Antioxidants and B-Group Vitamins on Risk of Infections in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

by Salah Gariballa, Bachar Afandi, Mamoon Abu Haltem, Javed Yassin and Awad Alessa

Nutrients 2013, 5(3), 711-724; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5030711 - 5 Mar 2013

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 9531

Abstract

Previous studies have revealed that diabetic patients have a decline in immunity and an increased risk of infections, and this may be associated with poor micronutrient status. The aim of this study was to measure the effect of dietary supplements on risk of infection in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. One hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to receive an oral dose of daily B-group vitamins and antioxidant vitamins (n = 50) or an identical placebo (n = 50) daily for 90 days. Patients had baseline, three and 12 month assessment for nutritional status, fruits and vegetables intake, physical activity and self-reported infections. Supplementation with antioxidants and B-group vitamins significantly increased the plasma concentration of vitamin E and folate and reduced homocysteine in the intervention group (p-values were 0.006, 0.001 and 0.657, respectively). The number of infections reported by the treatment group after three months of supplements was less than that reported by the placebo group, 9 (27%) vs. 15 (36%) (p = 0.623). Corresponding numbers of infections at 12 months were 25 (67.5%) and 27 (56.3%), respectively (p = 0.488). Up to 90% of the diabetic patients were either overweight or obese with a sedentary life style, and their body weight increased further during three months of follow up. The study showed that multivitamin supplements improved vitamin blood concentrations; however, this did not reduce the number of infections in diabetic patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Infectious Diseases)

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22 pages, 380 KB

Open AccessReview

Activation and Regulation of the Pattern Recognition Receptors in Obesity-Induced Adipose Tissue Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

by Yasuharu Watanabe, Yoshinori Nagai and Kiyoshi Takatsu

Nutrients 2013, 5(9), 3757-3778; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5093757 - 23 Sep 2013

Cited by 82 | Viewed by 20038

Abstract

Obesity-associated chronic tissue inflammation is a key contributing factor to type 2 diabetes mellitus, and a number of studies have clearly demonstrated that the immune system and metabolism are highly integrated. Recent advances in deciphering the various immune cells and signaling networks that link the immune and metabolic systems have contributed to our understanding of the pathogenesis of obesity-associated inflammation. Other recent studies have suggested that pattern recognition receptors in the innate immune system recognize various kinds of endogenous and exogenous ligands, and have a crucial role in initiating or promoting obesity-associated chronic inflammation. Importantly, these mediators act on insulin target cells or on insulin-producing cells impairing insulin sensitivity and its secretion. Here, we discuss how various pattern recognition receptors in the immune system underlie the etiology of obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance, with a particular focus on the TLR (Toll-like receptor) family protein Radioprotective 105 (RP105)/myeloid differentiation protein-1 (MD-1). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Infectious Diseases)

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21 pages, 244 KB

Open AccessReview

Iron: Protector or Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease? Still Controversial

by Carlos Muñoz-Bravo, Mario Gutiérrez-Bedmar, Jorge Gómez-Aracena, Antonio García-Rodríguez and Joaquín Fernández-Crehuet Navajas

Nutrients 2013, 5(7), 2384-2404; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5072384 - 1 Jul 2013

Cited by 73 | Viewed by 12653

Abstract

Iron is the second most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. Despite being present in trace amounts, it is an essential trace element for the human body, although it can also be toxic due to oxidative stress generation by the Fenton reaction, causing organic biomolecule oxidation. This process is the basis of numerous pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The relationship between iron and cardiovascular disease was proposed in 1981 by Jerome Sullivan. Since then, numerous epidemiological studies have been conducted to test this hypothesis. The aim of this review is to present the main findings of the chief epidemiological studies published during the last 32 years, since Sullivan formulated his iron hypothesis, suggesting that this element might act as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We have analyzed 55 studies, of which 27 supported the iron hypothesis, 20 found no evidence to support it and eight were contrary to the iron hypothesis. Our results suggest that there is not a high level of evidence which supports the hypothesis that the iron may be associated with CVD. Despite the large number of studies published to date, the role of iron in cardiovascular disease still generates a fair amount of debate, due to a marked disparity in results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Infectious Diseases)

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