Tag: allergic rhinitis

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New mRNA Vaccine Could Prevent Seasonal and Food Allergies

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A new mRNA vaccine stopped allergens from causing dangerous immune reactions and life-threatening inflammation in mice, according to researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Cincinnati Children’s. The vaccine, outlined in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, may one day be tested and tailored to a variety of seasonal and food allergies.

“This is a potential breakthrough for millions of people worldwide who suffer from life-threatening allergies,” said Nobel laureate Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, Professor in Vaccine Research at Penn and co-lead of the study with Cincinnati Children’s Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD.

Weissman, Penn colleagues Jilian Melamed, PhD, an assistant professor of Infectious Diseases, Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh, PhD, an assistant professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and the Cincinnati Children’s researchers led by Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD, director of the division of Allergy and Immunology, modelled this new vaccine on the design of the COVID-19 mRNA lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccines.

This time, however, scientists tweaked the mRNA to instruct cells to produce proteins that resemble certain allergens. By presenting these proteins in a controlled way, the vaccine didn’t cause allergic reactions but did instruct the immune system to respond more appropriately in the future. And, when mice were later exposed to the respective allergens, the vaccines worked.

When mice with specific allergies were exposed to the allergens, none of the mice vaccinated with the respective allergy vaccine had an allergic reaction. Vaccinated mice had fewer allergy-related white blood cells, made fewer inflammation-causing proteins, and their lungs produced less mucus. Their airways were also protected against narrowing, which often happens during asthma, and they made special antibodies that protected against allergic reactions.

A platform with broad potential

Unlike traditional allergy shots, which involve repeated administration of purified allergens over months or years, the mRNA-based approach offers a more flexible solution. Because the mRNA can be tailored to encode proteins from different allergens, the platform could be adapted to treat a wide range of allergic conditions—from seasonal pollen allergies to food sensitivities and asthma. Additionally, many severe food allergies do not have vaccines to protect against severe allergic reactions.

“People with food allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock are rightfully fearful in social situations, eating out in public, sharing food, and engaging in other fun activities where there are food and allergens around,” said Weissman. “Allowing people to partake in foods they were never able to eat would be incredibly rewarding, but I’ll even be happy if we can one day introduce a vaccine that allows parents to breathe just a little easier when sending their kids to class birthday parties.”

The study represents a proof-of-concept that mRNA vaccines can be used not only to prevent infectious diseases but also to adjust immune responses in chronic conditions like allergies and even celiac disease. Researchers say the next steps include testing the vaccine’s safety in humans, determining how many allergens can be included in a single dose, and evaluating how long protection lasts.

“We saw mRNA vaccines save lives during the pandemic, and as the most-tested type of vaccine in history, we know it’s the safest and most effective vaccine ever created,” said Weissman. “We are deeply committed to continuing to uncover the potential of this technology.”

Source: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

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Allergy Season Linked to an Increase in Suicide Risk

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Beyond the sneezing and itchy eyes, high pollen seasons are now linked to a significant increase in suicide risk. A new University of Michigan study found a 7.4% jump in deaths, suggesting the physical discomfort of allergies may trigger a deeper, more dangerous despair, an overlooked factor in suicide prevention.

The study indicates that allergies’ physiological effects, such as poor sleep and mental distress, may contribute to this increased risk.

“A small shock could have a big effect if you’re already in a vulnerable state,” said Joelle Abramowitz, associate research scientist at U-M’s Institute for Social Research. “We looked specifically at pollen from all different kinds of plants, including trees, weeds and grasses.”

The effect is incremental. Researchers divided pollen levels into four tiers and found the suicide risk rose with each group: it increased by 4.5% in the second level, 5.5% in the third and peaked at 7.4% in the fourth and highest category.

The study, funded by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and U-M ISR, combines daily pollen data from 186 counties of 34 metropolitan areas across the United States, with suicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System between 2006 and 2018.

Abramowitz and co-authors Shooshan Danagoulian and Owen Fleming of Wayne State University said that while structural factors for suicide are well-researched, short-term triggers are less understood. Pollen allergies are an ideal subject for this research, considering they are an exogenous shock – meaning they are external and not caused by an individual’s mental health status.

“During our study period, there were nearly 500 000 suicides in the US,” Abramowitz said. “Based on our incremental data, we estimate that pollen may have been a contributing factor in up to 12 000 of those deaths over the period, or roughly 900 to 1200 deaths per year.”

Vulnerable populations

Published in the Journal of Health Economics, the study also found that individuals with a known mental health condition or who had received prior mental health treatment had an 8.6% higher incidence of suicide on days with the highest pollen levels. White men strongly drive the effect, but the study also found an unexpectedly high vulnerability among Black individuals.

“While our study’s data comes from the U.S., our findings likely apply globally,” Abramowitz said. “This is supported by earlier research that found similar relationships in locations like Tokyo and Denmark. Our results, therefore, provide crucial new evidence that this phenomenon is a consistent, worldwide trend.”

Public health and awareness

The focus should be on public health and education, as reducing the number of pollen-producing plants isn’t a viable option, the researchers suggest. This includes more accurate pollen forecasting and better public communication. Providing people with clear, timely information about high-pollen days allows them to take proactive steps. Additional recommendations are limiting outdoor activities, wearing a mask or having antihistamines on hand.

There is also a need for a broader approach to mental health awareness, the authors said. Health care providers, particularly those in primary care, can benefit from understanding the connection between environmental factors, such as pollen, and patient well-being. This knowledge could help them tailor care more effectively, especially for vulnerable patients, and serve as a prompt to discuss mental health and stress management during high-pollen seasons or other periods of environmental stress.

“We should be more conscious of our responsiveness to small environmental changes, such as pollen, and our mental health in general,” Abramowitz said. “Given our findings, I believe medical providers should be aware of a patient’s allergy history, as other research has also established a connection between allergies and a higher risk for suicide. I hope this research can lead to more tailored care and, ultimately, save lives.”

The authors predict that as climate change extends and intensifies the pollen season, the impact of allergies on suicide rates could more than double by the end of the century.

Source: University of Michigan

Categories : Allergies Environmental EffectsTags :

How is Climate Change Affecting Seasonal Allergies?

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A review published in The Laryngoscope indicates that climate change’s effects on pollen seasons and concentrations are contributing to increasing rates of allergic rhinitis.

When investigators assessed research published between 2000 and 2023, they identified 30 studies that reported on the current epidemiological state of allergic rhinitis, described factors related to climate change, and observed how global warming is affecting pollen seasons and allergy symptoms.

Sixteen studies reported longer pollen seasons and/or higher pollen concentrations related to climate change. As an example, total pollen emissions in the U.S. are projected to increase by 16–40% by the end of the century and pollen season length to increase by 19 days. Four studies reported an increase in allergic rhinitis–related health care usage, particularly among low-income residents. Two studies reported that health care professionals want more education on climate change. 

“Physicians are uniquely positioned to witness the impact of allergic rhinitis on patient outcomes and can adapt their practice as climate change intensifies,” said corresponding author Alisha R. Pershad, BS, a third-year medical student at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “As trusted voices in the community, they should leverage their frontline experience to advocate for meaningful change in addressing the climate crisis.”

Source: Wiley