Penicillin allergies may be linked to one immune system gene

According to the article, penicillin is frequently used as a first-line antibiotic since it is efficient against a wide range of bacterial illnesses. Penicillins are a class of antibiotics that work against a wide array of bacteria. Despite this, it is one of the leading causes of drug allergies. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 10% of individuals have had an adverse response to penicillin. Researchers now have identified a genetic component to hypersensitivity, which may produce hives, wheezing, arrhythmias, and other symptoms, although it is seldom deadly. Penicillin hypersensitivity may be triggered by a genetic change in an immune system gene that aids the body in differentiating between our own cells and pathogenic microorganisms and viruses. According to Kristi Krebs, a pharmacogenomics researcher at the Estonian Genome Center at the University of Tartu, the hotspot lies on the major histocompatibility complex gene HLA-B. Recent research has linked significant variances in HLA genes to negative medication effects. Studies have connected one HLA-B variant to adverse responses to the HIV/AIDS drug, abacavir, and another HLA-B variant to allergic reactions to the gout drug, allopurinol. The researchers evaluated more than 600,000 electronic health records for genetic information on patients who self-reported penicillin intolerance for the penicillin study. The researchers employed a number of genetic search techniques to filter through DNA in search of genetic abnormalities that may be connected to the health issue. Their search led them to a particular location on chromosome 6, where they discovered HLA-B*55:01, a variant of HLA. The researchers then compared their findings to 1.12 million individuals of European ancestry in 23andMe's study database and discovered the same connection. A search of smaller datasets of individuals with East Asian, Middle Eastern, and African ancestry showed no evidence of a comparable link, however the sample sizes were too small to be certain. Hopefully, more clarity can be found on the genetic linkage to the hypersensitivity of patients to penicillin. 

A Genetic Allergy Reaction to Miracle Drug

 Subject: Penicillin, Gene Variation and Allergy Reaction 

Article: ¨Penicillin allergies may be linked to one immune system gene¨

    One of the first antibiotics that had saved many lives from various infections  had been discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. Penicillin is the drug known to inhibit bacterial growth. Penicillin despite being a powerful antibiotic for most infections has been reported as causing allergic reactions such as hypersensitivity, hives, wheezing, vomiting, fevers and more. As a result of there being a variation within the cells and genes of the immune system that seeks out bacteria and viruses. The genetic variation can be seen on the DNA of someone's DNA and until recently on a specific gene known as HLA-B. HLA-B is the gene that codes to make proteins that help determine and defend against foreign bodies in the body. 

    After looking at over 600 thousand health records it was discovered that the sensitivity to penicillin could be linked to chromosome 6. Then afterwards, looking at genetic ancestry records it couldn't be entirely ruled if whether or not this was an inherent variation.  Penicillin is not only the most powerful antibiotic, but it has also raised questions in the medical field. For starters, penicillin allergy reactions usually occur during someone's adolescence and typically goes away as they get older and are able to take the drug if prescribed. Or often enough these patients have been misdiagnosed. However,  if that's the case why has penicillin been known to cause other symptoms that are indication of illness. Based on a personal experience with a penicillin reaction when I was 10 or 11, how do I know that if prescribed the drug again for an infection will I not have the same reaction as before (in my case it happened to thrush)? And if such sensitivity is common amongst children why does it occur at all? What is it about our immune system and specifically in HLA-B that allows for the inability to detect or aid in combating harmful bacteria or viruses? 

Article Link: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/penicillin-allergies-immune-system-genetics 

Supporting Link(s): https://www.medicinenet.com/penicillins-injection/article.htm#what_are_the_uses_for_penicillin_antibiotics 

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/hla-b/ 

Main Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/topic/genetics