Allergen Immunotherapy: Current and Future Trends

Abstract

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the sole disease-modifying treatment for allergic rhinitis; it prevents rhinitis from progressing to asthma and lowers medication use. AIT against mites, insect venom, and certain kinds of pollen is effective. The mechanism of action of AIT is based on inducing immunological tolerance characterized by increased IL-10, TGF-β, and IgG4 levels and Treg cell counts. However, AIT requires prolonged schemes of administration and is sometimes associated with adverse reactions. Over the last decade, novel forms of AIT have been developed, focused on better allergen identification, structural modifications to preserve epitopes for B or T cells, post-traductional alteration through chemical processes, and the addition of adjuvants. These modified allergens induce clinical-immunological effects similar to those mentioned above, increasing the tolerance to other related allergens but with fewer side effects. Clinical studies have shown that molecular AIT is efficient in treating grass and birch allergies. This article reviews the possibility of a new AIT to improve the treatment of allergic illness.

Thermosensitive PLGA–PEG–PLGA Hydrogel as Depot Matrix for Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy

“…In AIT, microcrystalline tyrosine (MCT) has become a considerable and often used alternative. Similar to aluminium, MCT acts as a depot, and has the ability to enhance the immune response, but is fully metabolized within the body and does not accumulate [ 69 , 70 ]. Nevertheless, establishing an adjuvant-free delivery system for AIT could be beneficial, and help to avoid adverse effects of the adjuvants.…”

The Present and Future of Allergen Immunotherapy in Personalized Medicine

“…Allergic diseases can be successfully treated with many symptomatic drugs, but only the AIT acts on the causes of allergy and modifies their natural history [ 33 , 34 ]. A critical point is represented by the selection of the type of extract in AIT, because it induces a tolerance against a precise allergen only.…”

Versatile Application of Nanobodies for Food Allergen Detection and Allergy Immunotherapy

“…Induced IgG is accepted to effectively block IgE binding epitopes and coin blocking antibodies. 31,32 Successful application depends on the identification and preparation of allergen-specific antibodies, and the efficacy of such blocking strategies was well-accepted as a complicated cause of the cumbersome and high cost to isolate mAbs with the capacity to inhibit IgE-mediated reactions. 33,34 Therefore, potential alternatives and candidates are extensively explored to ensure the straightforward preparation and cost-effective validation.…”