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Eosinophils and Food Allergy

Eosinophils and Food Allergy Investigators have found a new candidate for the cause of food allergies: eosinophils. Until now, it was unknown whether these components of the immune system caused damage or were simply innocent bystanders during food allergies. In research supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Mark Rothenberg, MD, PhD, of Children's Medical Center in Cincinnati, directed a team in developing a mouse model of allergy. The animals developed inflamed digestive tracts, became ill, and lost weight, similar to humans with eosinophilic gastrointestinal inflammation. To examine the role of eosinophils in the disease model, the researchers studied a key protein called eotaxin, which summons eosinophils when the body senses danger. In the allergic mice, cells lining the digestive tract released eotaxin and attracted eosinophils. But in knock-out mice lacking the gene for eotaxin, no eosinophils appeared and the mice did not develop symptoms. "A food can trigger eotaxin, which attracts eosinophils to the site, which in turn attack healthy tissue and cause disease," said Rothberg, who published the work in the April Nature Immunology. Several anti-eosinophil drugs are in the pipeline for other diseases, and Rothberg hopes some of those may be effective against food allergies. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png JAMA American Medical Association

Eosinophils and Food Allergy

JAMA , Volume 285 (15) – Apr 18, 2001

Eosinophils and Food Allergy

Abstract

Investigators have found a new candidate for the cause of food allergies: eosinophils. Until now, it was unknown whether these components of the immune system caused damage or were simply innocent bystanders during food allergies. In research supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Mark Rothenberg, MD, PhD, of Children's Medical Center in Cincinnati, directed a team in developing a mouse model of allergy. The animals developed inflamed digestive...
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Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0098-7484
eISSN
1538-3598
DOI
10.1001/jama.285.15.1952-JHA10003-2-1
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Investigators have found a new candidate for the cause of food allergies: eosinophils. Until now, it was unknown whether these components of the immune system caused damage or were simply innocent bystanders during food allergies. In research supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Mark Rothenberg, MD, PhD, of Children's Medical Center in Cincinnati, directed a team in developing a mouse model of allergy. The animals developed inflamed digestive tracts, became ill, and lost weight, similar to humans with eosinophilic gastrointestinal inflammation. To examine the role of eosinophils in the disease model, the researchers studied a key protein called eotaxin, which summons eosinophils when the body senses danger. In the allergic mice, cells lining the digestive tract released eotaxin and attracted eosinophils. But in knock-out mice lacking the gene for eotaxin, no eosinophils appeared and the mice did not develop symptoms. "A food can trigger eotaxin, which attracts eosinophils to the site, which in turn attack healthy tissue and cause disease," said Rothberg, who published the work in the April Nature Immunology. Several anti-eosinophil drugs are in the pipeline for other diseases, and Rothberg hopes some of those may be effective against food allergies.

Journal

JAMAAmerican Medical Association

Published: Apr 18, 2001

Keywords: eosinophils,food allergy

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