Two studies discovered a specialized type of immune cell called type 2 memory B cells (MBC2s) that hold the memory of proteins that cause allergies. Those cells are important for long-lasting protection against infectious diseases but are primed to make the type of antibodies that lead to allergies. According to the article, Joshua Koenig and his colleagues examined over 90,000 memory B cells from 6 people with birch allergies, 4 people allergic to dust mites, and 5 people with no allergies. They also ran an experiment that determined why people have peanut allergies. Cecilia Berin, an allergist and immunologist, predicted that allergists may be able to examine aspects of these memory cells to forecast whether a patient's allergy is likely to last or disappear with time or treatment. Knowing which populations of cells preserve allergies in long-term memory may eventually help scientists identify other ways to starve to kill the allergy cells.
I thought this article was interesting when the immunologists elaborated on their studies on how the memory of proteins causes allergies in an individual. Also, this article provides information to have a better understanding of why some people are allergic to peanuts, dust, or any type of allergy, and why others do not have it.
Sources:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/immune-cells-remember-allergies
It's fascinating to see how research into memory B cells sheds light on the persistence of allergies and offers potential insights into predicting and treating them. Understanding the underlying mechanisms could pave the way for more personalized allergy management strategies in the future.
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