A genetic defect threefold increases the risk of peanut allergy in children, reports the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Peanut allergy affects about 1-2% of people in the UK. kids. The number of allergy sufferers in Western countries has increased dramatically in the last 20-30 years, which may be related to the increasing presence of peanut-containing products in the environment. Often the allergy runs in families, indicating a genetic component.
An international (British-Dutch-Irish-Canadian) team led by scientists from Dundee University has shown that the risk of allergies is increased by a gene called Filaggrin. Its relationship with asthma and eczema (eczema) had been proven before, so checking whether it was responsible for other similar diseases was self-imposed.
Under normal circumstances, the Filaggrin gene makes the skin a good barrier against irritants and allergens. Changes in the gene cause the skin to lose its protective properties – as a result, substances penetrating it contribute to the occurrence of allergic reactions.
The defect of the Filaggrin gene is not the only cause of this type of allergy, but one in five people who are allergic to peanuts has it, and one in three people with an abnormal gene is allergic.
The head of the research, prof. Irwin Mc Lean points out that when it comes to the genetic causes of allergies, much remains to be explained (PAP)