Induction and regulation of allergen-specific IgE (original) (raw)
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Pediatrics, 2004
Developed nations are experiencing a marked increase in prevalence of the familial allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and allergic gastroenteropathy, which are often called atopic diseases. No satisfactory explanation for this epidemic is known, but it has been proposed that some facets of modern life tend to bias immune responses away from the Th1 cellular immune responses that protect against many infections and toward Th2 responses that favor atopy. There are 2 hypotheses to explain why this epidemic is occurring now. Hypothesis 1 suggests that nutritional patterns have changed or that we are exposed to environmental toxicants that were not previously present. Hypothesis 2 holds that some aspects of modern lifestyles in affluent nations have minimized exposure to infectious agents or to their by-products, such as endotoxin. This feature of contemporary lifestyle, it is suggested, has favored the development of Th2 immune responses to environ...
2 Induction and regulation of allergen-specific IgE
2005
The immune response is characterized by an initial rapid activation of the innate defence system, geared at recognizing common structures shared by many microorganisms. This innate immune response is a prerequisite to mount a highly antigenspecific adaptive immune response consisting of T-cell differentiation into effector subsets and B-cell differentiation into antibody-secreting plasma cells. Commonly, allergy is characterized by dendritic cells presenting allergenic peptides, activated Th2 cells producing signature cytokines like IL-4 and IL-5, and B-cells producing allergen-specific IgE antibodies. Under non-allergic conditions tolerance mechanisms, comprising regulatory T-cell subsets, are suppressing potential immune responses to allergen exposure. The protein structure of many allergens has been resolved and has provided an explanation for the epitope-specific IgE cross-reactivity responsible for the pollen– food syndrome. The knowledge on the protein characteristics of the m...
Cell Interaction - Molecular and Immunological Basis for Disease Management, 2021
Allergy is an immune disorder due to over responsiveness of immune system to a relatively normal and harmless antigen; derived from environmental and dietary substances commonly referred as allergens. Allergy is an IgE mediated type I hypersensitivity which is characterized by the degranulation of specialized white blood cells known as mast cells and basophils. Majority of characterized allergens are proteinaceous in nature and induce Th2 response. Specific Th2 cytokines elicit the induction of allergen specific IgE antibodies in sensitive individuals. The IgE binds to Fc epsilon receptor on basophil/mast cells and on exposure, allergens cross links the IgE and induce release of hypersensitivity mediators that result in allergic symptoms. The symptoms varies from mild allergies like hay fever, itchiness, rashes, rhinatisis, conjunctivitis to a severe condition such as Asthma and some time life threatening anaphylaxis. At present a various blood based test exist to diagnose allergies...