Quote
Dr. Xiu-Min Li and Dr. Kari Nadeau at a restaurant
Quote
The crux of the project they discussed Tuesday is to test FAHF-2 as an alternative to Xolair for rush OIT and for multi-allergy OIT
Quote
How does immunotherapy work at a cellular level?
The exact immuno-modulatory mechanism by which desensitization immunotherapy switches off allergies is uncertain. It was hypothesised that specific "IgE blocking" antibodies were produced, as during successful immunotherapy an initial increase in specific IgE was followed by an IgE fall and compensatory rise in IgG (a blocking antibody). Researchers then postulated that specific IgG4 antibodies where induced towards the offending allergen. An associated reduction in mucosal mast cell numbers and a decrease in antigen-induced eosinophil migration to the site of inflammation are noted during immunotherapy. The latest "hot" hypothesis is that immunotherapy modulates the T-helper cells, causing switching from predominantly TH2 (IgE inducing) to predominantly TH1 (IgG inducing) subsets and as a result of this, allergen-specific IgE falls with successful immunotherapy.