Scientists Spot Key Food Allergy Molecule

Interleukin-12 could determine people's reaction to certain proteins, they say

MONDAY, July 2, 2007 (HealthDay News) -- British scientists say a molecule called interleukin-12 can protect against food allergies.

A team at the Institute of Food Allergy Research in Norwich noted that interleukin-12 is absent during the body's allergic response.

"We have identified a molecule that is very important for the regulation of immune response and for the first time clearly represents a potential target for the therapy of allergy. This is currently under investigation," lead researcher Claudio Nicoletti said in a prepared statement.

The molecule is made by white blood cells called dendrites. These cells help regulate the body's immune response to foreign materials, including food proteins. There is no cure for food allergies other than avoiding the offending foods. For some people, food allergies can be life-threatening.

Researchers compared dendritic cells in the gut and spleen of mice with and without food allergies. Cells in the allergic mice did not make interleukin-12, the research team reported.

The discovery helps explain how "a food protein can be perfectly harmless to one person and lethal to another," Nicoletti said. "We have identified the missing molecule that normally keeps immune responses under control."

The study is published in the July issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

More information

For more on food allergies, visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

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