Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Cincinnati Children’s have developed an mRNA vaccine that prevented dangerous allergic reactions in mice, potentially revolutionizing treatment for food and seasonal allergies.
A pioneering mRNA vaccine has successfully prevented dangerous allergic reactions and life-threatening inflammation in mice, a breakthrough that could revolutionize the treatment of food and seasonal allergies.
The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, was conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s.
“This is a potential breakthrough for millions of people worldwide who suffer from life-threatening allergies,” Nobel laureate Drew Weissman, the Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research at Penn who co-led the study, said in a news release.
The new vaccine leverages the mRNA lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology used in COVID-19 vaccines but is modified to instruct cells to produce proteins resembling specific allergens.
Unlike conventional allergy treatments that require repeated exposure to purified allergens over extended periods, this mRNA-based approach offers a more adaptable and potentially quicker solution.
The vaccine trains the immune system to respond appropriately to allergens, reducing the likelihood of adverse reactions.
When tested on mice, the results were promising.
Mice that received the vaccine did not exhibit allergic reactions when later exposed to the respective allergens.
Key indicators of allergic response, such as allergy-related white blood cells, inflammation-causing proteins and mucus production in the lungs, were significantly reduced.
The mice’s airways were also protected against narrowing, common in asthma.
“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,” Weissman added. “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 implications of this research extend beyond food and seasonal allergies.
The platform has the potential to address a range of chronic conditions by adjusting immune responses, including asthma and even celiac disease.
The next steps involve testing the vaccine’s safety in humans, determining the number of allergens that can be included in a single dose, and evaluating the duration of protection.
“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,” added Weissman. “We are deeply committed to continuing to uncover the potential of this technology.”
Source: Penn Medicine