Yasmina Kattou, edited by Alexandre Dalifard
While four million people suffer from allergic asthma in France, Inserm, CNRD and Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University are working on a vaccine against the effects of house dust mites. This vaccine could also make it possible to fight against other allergies since it targets in particular the molecules responsible for food intolerance.
Soon a relief for the four million French people who suffer from allergic asthma. Inserm, CNRD and Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University are working on a vaccine against the effects of dust mites in particular. The vaccine would allow the immune system to block the overproduction of antibodies that leads to an asthma attack in the presence of allergens like dust mites.
Effectiveness valid for one year
“There are two proteins called cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13), which are really at the center of the pathology because they trigger the whole cascade of inflammatory reactions in the patient. Going to block these two proteins makes it possible to block all this cascade and therefore stop all the inflammation before it takes place”, specifies Laurent Robert, research director at Inserm and one of the project leaders. In 100% of asthmatic mice tested in the trial, the allergic reaction was avoided and the protective effect lasted.
“Even a year after vaccination, we still had neutralizing antibodies. So there would be an effectiveness that would last at least a year, at least in mice. And we hope it will be the same in humans “says Laurent Robert. This vaccine could also make it possible to fight against other allergies since it targets in particular the molecules responsible for food intolerance.