NUTRITIONAL IMMUNOLOGY

WCHRI RESEARCH

 
 

STAFF

Laboratory Head

 

A/Prof Imme Penttila

Ph: 08 8161 7072

Email: irmeli.penttila@adelaide.edu.au

 

Research Staff

  Adaweyah El-Merhibi adaweyah.elmerhibi@adelaide.edu.au
  Cathryn De Nichilo cathryn.denichilo@adelaide.edu.au
  Kerry Lymn kerry.lymn@adelaide.edu.au
       

GOALS

Allergic diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and disability world wide. Life-threatening anaphylactic reactions can occur in food-allergic individuals. Children are particularly at risk of inadvertently ingesting food they are sensitized to leading to serious consequences such as anaphylaxis and even death. Our overall goal is to understand the early mechanisms underlying the development of food allergy in infancy as well as the development of therapeutic interventions.

 

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Understanding the mechanism underlying food allergy development

Both genetic and environmental factors influence the maintenance of immune homeostasis and the development of food allergy. When the immune system in early life encounters food antigens, genetic environmental and dietary influences lead to an immune response where either tolerance develops to the antigen or an immune activation and hypersensitivity results. We are assessing immune response profiles after introduction of food antigens in early life. The foods we focus on include egg and cow's milk proteins, to which resolution of allergy usually occurs over time, and peanut, which frequently results in lifelong hypersensitivity and potential anaphylaxis. We are focusing on the development of oral tolerance, the importance of breast milk and timing of the introduction of solid food antigens for programming the developing immune response.
The mechanism(s) by which the normal intestinal immune system responds to food and the factors involved in subsequent development of food related allergies remain unclear. The mucosal immune system in the suckling period requires oral antigen exposure to learn to develop immuno-regulatory mechanisms. We show that in early life oral antigen exposure during maternal milk feeding helps promote appropriate immuno-regulatory mechanisms toward food antigens, in contrast to oral antigen exposure during formula fed feeding. Figure 1A and 1B show dual labelled CD4+ Foxp3+ T Regulatory cells and Foxp3 mRNA respectively in the mesenteric lymph nodes after early oral exposure to the milk protein allergen ? lactoglobulin in the presence of maternal milk (NS+ BLG) or formula (FF). We have highlighted the importance of maternal milk in regulating the development of the mucosal immune response when food antigens are introduced into the infant diet.

 

2. Milk bioactives in regulating infant immune development

Oral antigens, like food are normally processed in a manner that results in a regulated immune response, which does not injure the host. After birth the gastrointestinal tract is exposed to food at a time when the gut immune system has not fully developed. Therefore the potential for an inappropriate immune response to food is increased, particularly in formula fed or allergy prone individuals. Breastfeeding has been shown to provide protection against infection in infancy as well as allergy development. Cytokines in the breast milk provide benefits to the infant, including regulation of the developing immune system.
The aim of this more strategic industry linked project was to identify bioactive milk fractions with immuno-regulatory activity with the potential to prevent inappropriate immune activation to food antigens. We have achieved our major milestones for years one to three and have demonstrated immuno-regulatory activity in a milk bioactive fraction, both in vitro and in vivo. A preliminary patent application has been submitted on this work.

 

 

Figure 1.

Applied Nutrition
Basic Nutrition
Epithelial Biology
Leucocyte Biology
Molecular Immunology
Nutritional Immunology
Nutritional Immunology
Wound Healing