Understanding How Food Allergies Work May Lead to the Prevention of Anaphylaxis

An exciting new study has given researchers a better understanding of how food allergies cause dangerous anaphylactic reactions. This is encouraging news and could lead to better treatments for severe food allergies. Researchers hope it might one day even prevent food-induced anaphylaxis. To understand why the discovery is such a big deal, keep reading.

Researchers from Yale University and Arizona State recently found that the pathway of allergens is different for allergens that enter the body through the gut. Until recently, it was thought that all anaphylactic reactions were caused by the spike in IgE antibodies that occurs when our immune system mistakenly thinks an allergen is a threat. The IgE boost results in anaphylaxis when our mast cells release histamines. The histamines are meant to fight the allergen. However, our body over-reacts to the allergen’s presence and the histamines, which are meant to attack the unwanted invader, cause an “inflammatory response” in our body. The inflammation causes the symptoms of anaphylaxis: a drop in blood pressure, an increase in heart rate, shrinking of the airways, and others responses.

However, scientists recently found that allergens brought into the body through food cause the body to react differently than it would to something like a bee sting. With food allergens, our body responds by producing lipid-based molecules, instead of the typical histamines. In other words, when allergic reactions are caused by food, lipid-based molecules attack the perceived invader, causing the anaphylactic response. The body’s mast cells then release cysteinyl leukotrienes instead of histamines to fight against the allergen threat.

If anaphylaxis happen either way, why does it matter if the mast cells release histamine or cysteinyl leukotrienes during an allergic reaction? It matters a lot because current medications taken for all allergic reactions are designed to manage the surge of histamines. Now, however, scientists understand that food allergy treatments should be developed to address the release of leukotrienes, not histamines. In addition, the research team hopes the discovery may one day make it possible to develop treatments that will completely block and therefore prevent the life-threatening reactions people with food allergies fear. Thank you to the researchers for all of their work in trying to make life safer and better for the millions of us living with dangerous food allergies.