Allergen News and Research

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Researchers design new type of nanocarrier to improve effectiveness of allergy shots

Whether triggered by cats, bees, pollen or mites, allergies are on the rise. And the bad news doesn't stop there. The only current therapy that treats their causes is allergen-specific immunotherapy -- or allergy shots -- which can cause severe side effects. Now, researchers report in Biomacromolecules the development of a potentially better allergy shot that uses nanocarriers to address these unwanted issues.

23 Sep 2015

Scientists discover mechanism that could lead to new treatment for allergies

Most people with allergies have to take medication throughout their life: Their body "thinks" that proteins from the environment are so "strange" that they elicit an immune reaction. Until present, it was not possible to develop an efficient therapy so that the body "learns" to stop in an overreacting way.

8 Sep 2015

Researchers one step closer to developing asthma vaccine

Researchers at VIB (a leading life sciences institute in Flanders, Belgium) and Ghent University have successfully established a causal relationship between exposure to so-called farm dust and protection against asthma and allergies.

4 Sep 2015

Regulatory T cells may reduce susceptibility to allergies

Susceptibility to allergies reduced by increased production of regulatory T cells. This is the main finding of a current study being conducted at the Institute of Immunology at MedUni Vienna, headed up by Winfried F. Pickl. The initial results of this study by Alina Neunkirchner, which looks at the root cause of the development of allergies, are being presented at the European Congress of Immunology, which starts in Vienna this Sunday (6 - 9 September 2015, Austria Center Vienna).

3 Sep 2015

Nitrogen oxides affect pollen of common ragweed plant

Pollen of the common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) has higher concentrations of allergen when the plant is exposed to NO2 exhaust gases, according to findings of scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München. In addition, the study published in the journal 'Plant, Cell & Environment' indicates the presence of a possible new allergen in the plant.

17 Aug 2015

Scientists reveal how non-allergenic pollen mediators can increase allergic reactions

Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München and TU München discovered a new mechanism how non-allergenic pollen mediators can enhance allergic reactions. Especially the so-called B cells play a critical role in this process. The results were recently published in the Journal 'Allergy' and might lead to new approaches for therapies.

13 Aug 2015

Pennsylvania physicians examine back-to-school health, offer tips for parents and students

As students start heading back to classes for the upcoming academic year, Pennsylvania physicians take a close look at back-to-school health and offer some tips for parents and students who strive to stay in class and not home in bed sick.

7 Aug 2015

New UTMB study reveals mechanism central to pollen-induced allergies

A new study from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has uncovered a mechanism that is central to becoming allergic to ragweed pollen and developing allergic asthma or seasonal nasal allergies. The findings are currently available online in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.

23 Jul 2015

New study suggests novel ways to treat serous retinal detachment

Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in older individuals. AMD and other serious chronic eye problems that affect younger individuals result when fluid accumulates abnormally under or within the retina. A new study published in The American Journal of Pathology shows for the first time that the release of substances from mast cells may be a causal factor in this type of eye pathology, and inhibitors of this release may offer new ways to treat serous retinal detachment.

22 Jul 2015

Mothers with chemical intolerances more likely to have children with ASD or ADHD

A new study from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio found that mothers with chemical intolerances are two to three times more likely than other women to have a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

21 Jul 2015

CU research suggests safe, lower-cost way to treat upper gastrointestinal tract problems in children

Physicians at the University of Colorado School of Medicine on the Anschutz Medical Campus have published research that suggests a safe and lower-cost way to diagnose and treat problems in the upper gastrointestinal tract of children.

16 Jul 2015

Microbiota blocks the immune cells responsible for triggering allergies

The human body is inhabited by billions of symbiotic bacteria, carrying a diversity that is unique to each individual. The microbiota is involved in many mechanisms, including digestion, vitamin synthesis and host defense.

12 Jul 2015

Study could point the way to new treatments for people with severe asthma

The immune response that occurs in patients with severe asthma is markedly different than what occurs in milder forms of the lung condition, according to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Those unique features could point the way to new treatments, they said in an article published online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

30 Jun 2015

NYU physician suggests changes for a healthier home

(Family Features) Dirt. Grime. Bacteria. Airborne allergens. As hard as you try to keep your home clean, these types of yucky things are an everyday reality. Taking the necessary steps to create a healthy home can not only give you peace of mind, but also help keep your family healthier.

27 Jun 2015

Emergency room visits, hospitalizations of children with food allergy reactions increase in Illinois

Emergency room visits and hospitalizations of children with severe, potentially life-threatening food allergy reactions increased nearly 30 percent in Illinois over five years, reports a Northwestern Medicine study.

26 Jun 2015

Ragweed pollen can trigger strong allergic reactions

Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) - an otherwise unremarkable plant - produces pollen that can trigger strong allergic reactions such as asthma even in very small quantities. Scientists from Technische Universität München (TUM) and Helmholtz Zentrum München have now published a joint study showing that the substance previously identified as the major allergen only induces such a vigorous allergic response in combination with the adenosine also present in the pollen.

18 Jun 2015

Phase 2 study of AR101 meets primary endpoint in patients with peanut allergy

Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing desensitization treatments for food allergies, announced today that a Phase 2 study (ARC001) evaluating the company's lead investigational product, AR101 for the treatment of peanut allergy, met its primary endpoint and additional endpoint of desensitizing patients to cumulative amounts of peanut protein of 443 mg and 1,043 mg, respectively.

10 Jun 2015

Nuvo obtains Health Canada approval to conduct WF10 Phase 2 trial for treatment of allergic rhinitis

Nuvo Research Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company with a diverse portfolio of topical and immunology products, today announced it has received Health Canada approval to conduct a new Phase 2 clinical trial (the 2015 WF10 Trial) to assess WF10 for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

8 Jun 2015

Vanderbilt expert offers tips for preventing and treating poison ivy

It's the time of year when backyards attract children, trails beckon hikers, and poison ivy attacks the unwary. This itch-causing plant pest, along with its cohorts poison oak and poison sumac, cause more common allergic reactions than any other source, said Renee Miller, R.N., a certified specialist in poison information at the Tennessee Poison Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

4 Jun 2015

New FAU study sheds light on link between inflammation and cancer

Although normal inflammation plays an important role in helping to fight off infections, there is mounting evidence that chronic inflammation is linked to increased risk of tumor development. A new study conducted by researchers in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University is helping to shed light on the important link between inflammation and cancer, and how pre-existing inflammation may aid in the metastatic process.

3 Jun 2015