What’s in Your Genes? Researchers May Have Found Six Genes That Contribute to Peanut Allergies

If it seems that more and more people are coming down with peanut allergies, you’re partially right. The question isn’t really whether or not more people have peanut allergies but whether we’re more easily able to learn about allergies before they come deadly. A group of researchers has been trying to answer the question of where these allergies come from and may have come up with some interesting answers. Read on to get the scoop and then reach out to Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 to meet with an allergist.

The study in question was published at the end of 2017

The study we’re discussing was published in Nature Communications at the end of last year. The study showed that researchers had found six genes that seem to be involved in a child’s allergic reaction to peanuts. Other studies have been done on the same topic, but those generally compare the physiology of people with allergies to those without allergies. However, this study looked at comparisons between a person who’s having an allergic reaction and that same person when they’re not having an allergic reaction.

What’s the advantage of this type of strategy? According to researchers, who were working from Mount Sinai in New York, it allowed them to look at specific changes in gene expressions that happened during an allergic reaction.

More about the study

19 children with peanut allergies were studied. On the first day, they ingested incremental amounts of nuts every 20 minutes. They continued to do this until they’d ingested 1.044 grams of peanuts or until they had an allergic reaction. At their next session, the kids did the same thing but were given oat powder instead of peanut powder. Oat powder should not cause an allergic reaction and the kids were never told which powder was peanut and which was oat.

How the researchers got their results

The researchers then looked for changes in gene expression by taking blood samples from the subject. They took a small amount of blood before the kids ingested each product, while they ingested it, and after they ingested it. The researchers then used a technique called RNA sequencing that let them see which cells and genes were selectively activated when the child had an allergic reaction.

What they found was that certain genes were active only during allergic reactions. This could in the end explain why inflammation happens during an allergic reaction. These findings from the 19 subjects were consistent with another study that involved 21 subjects.

The importance of this peanut study

This study is important for numerous reasons, including showing us how peanut allergies work and helping us find the best ways to treat allergies. At Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group, we are always looking at the newest research for food allergy testing and treatment. If you or a loved one needs to be tested or treated for a peanut allergy or other food allergy, reach out to Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 and we’ll get started.