Sneezing, wheezing, itchy eyes? Relief may be in sight
If house dust mites trigger your asthma, you may soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Researchers in the United Kingdom have identified a molecule that could lead to the development of new treatments for people allergic to this pesky creature. The findings of the study are presented in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Led by Dr Amir Ghaem-Maghami and Professor Farouk Shakib, immunologists from the University of Nottingham discovered how the molecule DC-SIGN could potentially be an adversary of the house dust mite. The team says the molecule can be found on the surface of immune cells that help identify a major allergen from house dust mites, what experts refer to as Der p 1. Asthma sufferers in northern Europe could blame Der p 1 for triggering their asthmatic events. Researchers believe the recognition of the allergen by the immune system could result in ongoing sensitisation and the development of allergic symptoms. Thanks to these research results, scientists could help shed greater light on how the body's immune system identifies and reacts to allergens. This in turn will lead to improved therapies or treatments in the fight against allergies. Certainly, millions of asthma sufferers will welcome this news. The house dust mite, along with other environmental allergens, only help further exacerbate patients' allergies. House dust mite droppings are rich in allergens that elicit a reaction when they become airborne and are inhaled, the researchers say. 'There has been a sharp increase in the prevalence of allergies over the past few decades and allergic asthma among children has reached epidemic proportions in many industrialised countries, including the United Kingdom,' explains Dr Ghaem-Maghami. 'Despite improvements in patient care, mortality and morbidity of allergic asthma has remained high, and most therapies target symptoms rather than curing the condition,' he adds. 'Many people with asthma are highly sensitive to airborne allergens such as those from house dust mite - in fact, many studies have shown that up to 80% of people with asthma are allergic to house dust mite. A better understanding of how the interaction between allergens and the immune system triggers allergy is vital if we are to develop more effective and efficient treatments for this debilitating condition.' Despite what some people think, allergy is a disorder. The immune system is responsible for triggering allergies; it is its method of defence against harmless substances found in the environment. These substances are called allergens. The immune system generates the IgE antibody because it believes it is under attack. This antibody then releases more chemicals, such as histamine, by certain immune cells, which together produce what we know to be the classic allergy symptoms: itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose and wheezing. In their study, the Nottingham team investigated the role of DC-SIGN, a receptor found on the surface of antigen-presenting cells. They say these cells are some of the first cells in the body's immune system that come into contact with allergens. Their data show that the DC-SIGN binds to major allergens from the house dust mite, along with dogs, and seems to play a regulatory role in the allergic response to house dust mite allergens. Due to the binding of allergen, the researchers believe a mechanism is activated that could diminish harmful immune responses to allergens. So DC-SIGN may be the piece of the puzzle that's been missing all these years. This receptor could play a key role in regulating immune responses to environmental allergens, says the team.For more information, please visit:University of Nottingham:http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/Journal of Biological Chemistry:http://www.jbc.org/
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