A recent study examining Shetland ponies' reactions to midge bites has uncovered new information about how individuals can react differently to the same potential allergen. The study, which was published in the journal PLOS ONE on April 22, could also lead to a better understanding of allergic reactions in humans.
Scientists from the Netherlands and the University of Edinburgh found that, while all Shetland ponies react to midge bites, not all will experience allergy symptoms. Some ponies' immune systems will create allergy symptoms, while others' immune systems will work to prevent those same symptoms.
What leads to the different reactions? Midge bites cause ponies to produce proteins called cytokines, and the two possible cytokines in this situation will provoke different responses in the immune system. The first, known as IL4, will cause allergy symptoms, while the second, IFNy, will actually prevent immune cells from beginning the process of an allergic reaction. The head of the study, Dr. Dietmar Zaiss, stressed the significance of these findings.
"To our knowledge, this is the very first study of a natural allergic disease in which we can show that immune responses to allergens can take two directions, either leading to allergy or to tolerance," he said.
Scientists aren't sure why ponies, or humans for that matter, will experience different immune responses to the same stimulus. Both "genetic and environmental factors" lead to the development of allergies. But understanding how the process of reacting to a potential allergic trigger, such as a midge bite, can differ among individuals, represents an important step in the quest to understand and treat allergies. Dr. Zaiss believes that humans could benefit from this line of research.
"We believe this finding could have direct practical implications," Zaiss said, "for example by helping immune responses to choose the 'right' direction in individuals who we would like to protect from developing occupation-associated allergies."
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