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Immunotherapy Jun 2018Although traditional pharmacological approaches improve outcomes in disease management for allergic asthma, these fail to modify the underlying immune responses.... (Review)
Review
Although traditional pharmacological approaches improve outcomes in disease management for allergic asthma, these fail to modify the underlying immune responses. Allergen immunotherapy remains the only etiological therapy for the treatment of respiratory allergies for which clinical efficacy has been demonstrated through several well-controlled studies. In this review, we examine evidence from the past 5 years regarding the impact of allergen immunotherapy on allergic asthma to inform practitioners and stimulate further discussion and research.
Topics: Allergens; Asthma; Desensitization, Immunologic; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 29569506
DOI: 10.2217/imt-2017-0138 -
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology... Sep 2017To review the current knowledge regarding recombinant and purified allergens and allergen-derived peptides. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To review the current knowledge regarding recombinant and purified allergens and allergen-derived peptides.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, homepages relevant to the topic, and the National Institutes of Health clinical trial database were searched.
STUDY SELECTIONS
The literature was screened for studies describing purified and recombinant allergens and allergen-derived peptides. Studies relevant to the topic were included in this review.
RESULTS
Advantages and drawbacks of pure and defined recombinant allergens and peptides over allergen extracts in the context of allergy research, diagnosis, and allergen immunotherapy are discussed. We describe how these molecules are manufactured, which products are currently available on the market, and what the regulative issues are. We furthermore provide an overview of clinical studies with vaccines based on recombinant allergens and synthetic peptides. The possibility of prophylactic vaccination based on recombinant fusion proteins consisting of viral carrier proteins and allergen-derived peptides without allergenic activity are also discussed.
CONCLUSION
During the last 25 years more than several hundred allergen sequences were determined, which led to a production of recombinant allergens that mimic biochemically and immunologically their natural counterparts. Especially in Europe, recombinant allergens are increasingly replacing allergen extracts in diagnosis of allergy. Despite many challenges, such as high cost of clinical trials and regulative issues, allergy vaccines based on recombinant allergens and peptides are being developed and will likely soon be available on the market.
Topics: Allergens; Animals; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Peptides; Recombinant Proteins
PubMed: 28890016
DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2016.11.022 -
Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition) Jan 2016Arylamines are widely used in food, drugs, and cosmetics as well as other industries. These chemicals are present ubiquitously in cigarette smoke, smoke emitted from... (Review)
Review
Arylamines are widely used in food, drugs, and cosmetics as well as other industries. These chemicals are present ubiquitously in cigarette smoke, smoke emitted from cooking fume hoods as well as are generated by diverse industries. Arylamines can be generated by cleavage of azo dyes by intestinal and skin microbiota. Some arylamines are used as drugs while others are constituents of human metabolism. Many of the arylamines are mutagenic and carcinogenic. They are generally recognized as the major cause of human bladder cancer, but arylamines can induce cancers of other organs in humans and animals. Some arylamines are allergenic, causing lupus like syndrome, or other maladies. In view of their unbiquitious nature and the diseases they cause, arylamines are probably the most important chemicals causing health problems.
Topics: Allergens; Amines; Carcinogens; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms
PubMed: 26709643
DOI: 10.2741/E748 -
Revue Medicale de Liege Jun 2024Allergen immunotherapy is still the only curative treatment for respiratory allergies. It is based on repeated administration of allergenic extracts to sensitized... (Review)
Review
Allergen immunotherapy is still the only curative treatment for respiratory allergies. It is based on repeated administration of allergenic extracts to sensitized patients. It can be administered either by subcutaneous or by sublingual route. The purpose of the treatment is to modulate the immune response to a specific allergen and to alter the course of the disease over a long-term period. Numerous studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated its efficacy in terms of symptoms and quality of life improvement as well as reduction of the allergic march. Indication of allergen immunotherapy includes moderate to severe allergic rhinitis and mild to moderate allergic asthma from GINA step 3. Early intervention in sensitized patients is nowadays promoted.
Topics: Humans; Desensitization, Immunologic; Allergens; Asthma; Rhinitis, Allergic
PubMed: 38869131
DOI: No ID Found -
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical... Jan 2021Food allergy (FA), a growing public health burden in the United States, and familial aggregation studies support strong roles for both genes and environment in FA risk.... (Review)
Review
Food allergy (FA), a growing public health burden in the United States, and familial aggregation studies support strong roles for both genes and environment in FA risk. Deepening our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving FAs is paramount to improving its prevention, diagnosis, and clinical management. In this review, we document lessons learned from the genetics of FA that have aided our understanding of these mechanisms. Although current genetic association studies suffer from low power, heterogeneity in definition of FA, and difficulty in our ability to truly disentangle FA from food sensitization (FS) and general atopy genetics, they reveal a set of genetic loci, genes, and variants that continue to implicate the importance of barrier and immune function genes across the atopic march, and FA in particular. The largest reported effects on FA are from MALT1 (odds ratio, 10.99), FLG (average odds ratio, ∼2.9), and HLA (average odds ratio, ∼2.03). The biggest challenge in the field of FA genetics is to elucidate the specific mechanism of action on FA risk and pathogenesis for these loci, and integrative approaches including genetics/genomics with transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics will be critical next steps to translating these genetic insights into practice.
Topics: Allergens; Filaggrin Proteins; Food Hypersensitivity; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans
PubMed: 33436162
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.10.039 -
Immunology Letters Sep 2017Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-associated allergy is the most common immunologically-mediated hypersensitivity disease. It affects more than 25% of the population. In... (Review)
Review
Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-associated allergy is the most common immunologically-mediated hypersensitivity disease. It affects more than 25% of the population. In IgE-sensitized subjects, allergen encounter can causes a variety of symptoms ranging from hayfever (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis) to asthma, skin inflammation, food allergy and severe life-threatening anaphylactic shock. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is based on vaccination with the disease-causing allergens. AIT is an extremely effective, causative and disease-modifying treatment. However, administration of natural allergens can cause severe side effects and the quality of natural allergen extracts limits its application. Research in the field of molecular allergen characterization has allowed deciphering the molecular structures of the disease-causing allergens and it has become possible to engineer novel molecular allergy vaccines which precisely target the mechanisms of the allergic immune response and even appear suitable for prophylactic allergy vaccination. Here we discuss recombinant allergy vaccines which are based on allergen-derived B cell epitopes regarding their molecular and immunological properties and review the results obtained in clinical studies with this new type of allergy vaccines.
Topics: Allergens; Animals; B-Lymphocytes; Desensitization, Immunologic; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Immunoglobulin E; Vaccines; Vaccines, Synthetic
PubMed: 28472641
DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2017.04.015 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jul 2023Grass pollen is a leading cause of allergy in many countries, particularly Europe. Although many elements of grass pollen production and dispersal are quite well... (Review)
Review
Grass pollen is a leading cause of allergy in many countries, particularly Europe. Although many elements of grass pollen production and dispersal are quite well researched, gaps still remain around the grass species that are predominant in the air and which of those are most likely to trigger allergy. In this comprehensive review we isolate the species aspect in grass pollen allergy by exploring the interdisciplinary interdependencies between plant ecology, public health, aerobiology, reproductive phenology and molecular ecology. We further identify current research gaps and provide open ended questions and recommendations for future research in an effort to focus the research community to develop novel strategies to combat grass pollen allergy. We emphasise the role of separating temperate and subtropical grasses, identified through divergence in evolutionary history, climate adaptations and flowering times. However, allergen cross-reactivity and the degree of IgE connectivity in sufferers between the two groups remains an area of active research. The importance of future research to identify allergen homology through biomolecular similarity and the connection to species taxonomy and practical implications of this to allergenicity is further emphasised. We also discuss the relevance of eDNA and molecular ecological techniques (DNA metabarcoding, qPCR and ELISA) as important tools in quantifying the connection between the biosphere with the atmosphere. By gaining more understanding of the connection between species-specific atmospheric eDNA and flowering phenology we will further elucidate the importance of species in releasing grass pollen and allergens to the atmosphere and their individual role in grass pollen allergy.
Topics: Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal; Pollen; Hypersensitivity; Allergens; Poaceae
PubMed: 37094678
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163661 -
Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism 2017While earlier food allergy prevention strategies implemented avoidance of allergenic foods in infancy, the current paradigm is shifting from avoidance to controlled... (Review)
Review
While earlier food allergy prevention strategies implemented avoidance of allergenic foods in infancy, the current paradigm is shifting from avoidance to controlled exposure. This review focuses on the outcome of recent randomized controlled trials, which have examined the early introduction of allergenic foods for allergy prevention, and discusses the implementation of results in clinical practice. In infants at high risk of allergic disease, there is now direct evidence that regular early peanut consumption will reduce the prevalence of peanut allergy, compared to avoidance. Many international infant feeding guidelines already recommend complementary foods, including allergenic foods, to be introduced from 4 to 6 months of age irrespective of family history risk. Interim guidelines from 10 International Pediatric Allergy Associations state that healthcare providers should recommend the introduction of peanut-containing products into the diets of infants at high risk of allergic disease in countries where peanut allergy is prevalent. Direct translation of the results obtained from a cohort of high-risk infants to the general population has proved difficult, and issues regarding feasibility, safety, and cost-effectiveness have been raised. Five randomized placebo-controlled trials have assessed the effects of early egg exposure in infancy with varying results. In a recent comprehensive meta-analysis, there was moderate-certainty evidence that early versus late introduction of egg was associated with a reduced egg allergy risk. Although promising, optimal timing, doses, and if the feeding regimen should be stratified according to infant allergy risk remain to be determined. The single study that assessed introduction of multiple foods from 3 months whilst breastfeeding compared with exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age showed no reduction in food allergy prevalence. Future research should aim at optimizing infant feeding regimens and support a tolerogenic gastrointestinal microenvironment during the period of food allergen introduction.
Topics: Allergens; Arachis; Diet; Eggs; Food Hypersensitivity; Humans; Infant; Infant Food; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
PubMed: 28521316
DOI: 10.1159/000457928 -
Allergy Nov 2021The WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Database (http://allergen.org) provides up-to-date expert-reviewed data on newly discovered allergens and their unambiguous... (Review)
Review
The WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Database (http://allergen.org) provides up-to-date expert-reviewed data on newly discovered allergens and their unambiguous nomenclature to allergen researchers worldwide. This review discusses the 106 allergens that were accepted by the Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee between 01/2019 and 03/2021. Information about protein family membership, patient cohorts, and assays used for allergen characterization is summarized. A first allergenic fungal triosephosphate isomerase, Asp t 36, was discovered in Aspergillus terreus. Plant allergens contained 1 contact, 38 respiratory, and 16 food allergens. Can s 4 from Indian hemp was identified as the first allergenic oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 2 and Cic a 1 from chickpeas as the first allergenic group 4 late embryogenesis abundant protein. Among the animal allergens were 19 respiratory, 28 food, and 3 venom allergens. Important discoveries include Rap v 2, an allergenic paramyosin in molluscs, and Sal s 4 and Pan h 4, allergenic fish tropomyosins. Paramyosins and tropomyosins were previously known mainly as arthropod allergens. Collagens from barramundi, Lat c 6, and salmon, Sal s 6, were the first members from the collagen superfamily added to the database. In summary, the addition of 106 new allergens to the previously listed 930 allergens reflects the continuous linear growth of the allergen database. In addition, 17 newly described allergen sources were included.
Topics: Allergens; Animals; Aspergillus; Food Hypersensitivity; Humans; Tropomyosin; World Health Organization
PubMed: 34310736
DOI: 10.1111/all.15021 -
Allergy Oct 2015It is estimated that pollen allergies affect approximately 40% of allergic individuals. In general, tree pollen allergies are mainly elicited by allergenic trees... (Review)
Review
It is estimated that pollen allergies affect approximately 40% of allergic individuals. In general, tree pollen allergies are mainly elicited by allergenic trees belonging to the orders Fagales, Lamiales, Proteales, and Pinales. Over 25 years ago, the gene encoding the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 was the first such gene to be cloned and its product characterized. Since that time, 53 tree pollen allergens have been identified and acknowledged by the WHO/IUIS allergen nomenclature subcommittee. Molecule-based profiling of allergic sensitization has helped to elucidate the immunological connections of allergen cross-reactivity, whereas advances in biochemistry have revealed structural and functional aspects of allergenic proteins. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the present knowledge of the molecular aspects of tree pollen allergens. We analyze the geographic distribution of allergenic trees, discuss factors pivotal for allergic sensitization, and describe the role of tree pollen panallergens. Novel allergenic tree species as well as tree pollen allergens are continually being identified, making research in this field highly competitive and instrumental for clinical applications.
Topics: Allergens; Antigens, Plant; Humans; Plant Proteins; Pollen; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal; Trees
PubMed: 26186076
DOI: 10.1111/all.12696