Whether it’s pollen, animal dander, or a certain type of food,
millions of people around the world suffer from allergies. We have
medications to treat allergic reactions and other medications to lessen
the effects of seasonal allergies, but so far there’s no universal
preventive measure for all allergies. Scientists at the University of Eastern Finland are correcting that issue and may have it on the market in as little as five to seven years.
The antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE) is the cause of allergic
reactions. It causes white blood cells to release histamine, which then
causes a whole mess of nasty allergy symptoms. The Finnish scientists
believe that they can genetically modify the IgE-binding structures in
allergens so that they no longer bind to IgE, but can still interact
with immunoglobulin G, which protects from allergic symptoms. By
injecting this altered antibody into human bodies, the scientists
believe they can prevent allergic reactions, which is sweet news for all
allergy sufferers.
No comments:
Post a Comment