The present disclosure is directed to a method for reducing immunoreactivity of a food including (a) incubating a food that contains at least one protein with a cross-linking enzyme to form a food that includes at least one cross-linked protein; and (b) fermenting the food including the at least one cross-linked protein with a microorganism to form a modified food including a hydrolysate of the at least one cross-linked protein, wherein (a) is performed before (b) and wherein a level of immunoreactivity of the modified food is less than a level of immunoreactivity of an unmodified food including at least one protein. Modified foods obtained from the present method are also provided.

Provided herein are improved methods for diagnosing allergy in a subject using designed ankyrin repeat proteins (“DARPins”), and kits for use in such methods. Also provided herein are novel DARPins and methods of use thereof.

The present invention is related to novel methods for identifying a population of subjects that are at risk for developing of atopic allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, and to the prevention and treatment of these allergic diseases.

Compositions and methods are presented that allow for detection and prediction of an immune response in a subject that is selected to receive or that has received a vaccine. In selected embodiments, whole blood is used as starting material to obtain both dendritic cells and T cells, and synthetic or recombinant polypeptide(s) are used that include an antigen of the vaccine. The dendritic cells are then exposed to the synthetic or recombinant polypeptide(s), and thusly exposed dendritic cells are combined with the T cells to generate antigen reactive T cells. For detection or quantification, the antigen reactive T cells are expanded in vitro prior to ELISPOT or FACS analysis. Advantageously, such systems and methods are especially suitable for ascertaining an immune response against cancer antigens following vaccination with an anti-cancer vaccine.

The invention relates to an optical method for detecting at least one target molecule (TM) contained in a sample at a determined concentration, which comprises: (a) bringing a sample containing the TM into contact, in a liquid medium, with a solution containing nanoparticles (NPs), the surface of the NPs having been coated or functionalised with at least one type of specific bioreceptor (BR) of the target molecule to be detected (NP-BR), such that the BRs specifically recognise the TM, thus forming conjugates of the NP-BRs with the TMs (NP-BR-TMs); (b) separating the nanoparticles conjugates (NP-BR-TMs and/or NP-BRs) formed in the previous step; (c) bringing the nanoparticles conjugates (NP-BR-TMs and/or NP-BRs) into contact with a sensor surface of an optical transducer that operates by means of reflection and/or transmission, the response of which is based on optical interference, the sensor surface being functionalised by immobilising thereon: (i) the target molecule (TM) or (ii) at least one specific bioreceptor of the target molecule, which may be of the same type (BR) or of another type (BR1); and (d) determining the optical reading on the sensor surface by means of change in the interference response of the optical transducer, caused by change in the real part of the refractive index as a result of the NP conjugates recognised on the sensor surface, and/or by means of change in intensity in the interference response, caused by variation in intensity as a result of dispersion or as a result of variation in the complex part of the refractive index of the NP conjugates, or by means of a combination of both effects amplification in the interference response by refractive index and scattering.

This disclosure provides isolated or recombinant polypeptides that are useful to vaccinate individuals suffering from chronic/recurrent biofilm disease or as a therapeutic for those with an existing infection. The individual's immune system will then naturally generate antibodies which prevent or clear these bacteria from the host by interfering with the construction and or maintenance of a functional protective biofilm. Alternatively, antibodies to the polypeptides can be administered to treat or prevent infection. Bacteria that cannot form functional biofilms are more readily cleared by the remainder of the host's immune system and/or traditional antibiotics.

Provided is an approach of predicting a risk of occurrence of anaphylaxis in an infant or a child having food allergy by measuring an antibody titer of an IgE antibody and avidity of the IgE antibody against an allergen in a sample collected from the infant or the child, and predicting the risk of occurrence of anaphylaxis in the infant or the child according to a criterion created on the basis of ROC analysis.

Described herein are methods and compositions for treating or preventing an allergy or anaphylaxis. Certain aspects of the invention relate to administering to a subject an agent that inhibits RELMβ.

The invention relates to assay methods and kits for assessing autoimmune diseases in a human subject. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides assay methods and kits for diagnosing a subject with or predicting that a subject will develop Type 1 diabetes. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides assay methods and kits for assessing responsiveness of a subject having Type 1 diabetes to treatment with alefacept. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides assay methods and kits for diagnosing a subject with systemic lupus erythematosus. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides assay methods and kits for determining if a subject is at risk of a systemic lupus erythematosus flare. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides assay methods and kits for diagnosing a subject with celiac disease.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring respiratory sensitization and a respiratory sensitization measuring reagent that can be used to evaluate a test substance for respiratory sensitization without using an animal. According to the present invention, there is provided a method for measuring respiratory sensitization, including reacting a N-(arylalkylcarbonyl)cysteine with a test substance; reacting an α-N-(arylalkylcarbonyl)lysine with the test substance; detecting the amount of each of the above compounds or a product thereof after the reaction by optical measurement; and determining respiratory sensitization from the ratio of the reactivity of the α-N-(arylalkylcarbonyl)lysine with the test substance to the reactivity of the N-(arylalkylcarbonyl)cysteine with the test substance or from the reactivity of the α-N-(arylalkylcarbonyl)lysine with the test substance.