Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia may have found a way to turn off the immune system response that causes allergic reactions. Allergies occur when the body’s immune system overreacts to substances called allergens that are usually harmless. Discovering a safe, effective way to eliminate that abnormal reaction could significantly reduce allergy and asthma incidence.
In the recent animal study, researchers used gene therapy to wipe away the T-cell memory and desensitize the immune system to the allergen. More research is needed, but if these study results are replicated using human cells, it may be possible to develop a gene therapy that eliminates allergies with just one injection.