Type I allergy, an IgE antibody triggered hypersensitivity disease, represents a common public health problem affecting about one third of the world´s population. Upon exposure to allergens, IgE antibodies elicits allergic inflammation. In fact, IgE also plays a central role for the sensitization and the maintenance of type I allergy by causing activation of basophils and mast cells, and by mediating IgE-facilitated allergen presentation to T cells. The processes eventually result in allergic symptoms like rhinoconjunctivitis, chronic asthma, or life-threatening anaphylaxis. These clinical manifestations represent a major burden by reducing the quality of life of allergic patients and by incurring substantial cost to society.
Besides allergen-specific IgE antibodies, allergen-specific IgG antibodies affect the development and progression of type I allergy. Allergen-specific IgG antibodies predominately act as counterparts of allergen-specific IgE by preventing various IgE-mediated effects. However, the memory allergen-specific IgG B cell population may also serve as a pool of cells from which IgE-producing cells are recruited. In any event, much attention has over the past decades been given to allergen-specific IgG antibodies to define the crosstalk between IgE- and IgG-triggered effects and the ability of IgG to mediate protection against allergic disease.
This Research Topic is dedicated to crucial characteristics of allergen-specific antibodies and shall give a comprehensive survey all the way from approaches to study them to their functions. This special compilation shall provide information about reasons for the crucial interest in these fascinating key players in allergic disease and stimulate future development of this research field.
In this Research Topic, we welcome articles dealing with all aspects that are relevant to better understand the contribution of allergen-specific antibodies for development and maintenance of allergic disease, as well as their use in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of allergen-induced disorders.
More specifically, topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Monoclonal antibodies, recombinant antibody fragments, and nanobodies specific for allergens
- Bioinformatics support for the study of allergen-specific immune responses
- Antibody-based approaches for diagnosis of allergy and environmental allergen detection
- B memory cells as site for generation of allergen-specific antibodies
- Antibodies as biomarkers for successful therapy
- Crystallography as a tool to study humoral allergen-specific immunity and to further design of candidates for vaccine construction
- Hypoallergens and induction of human humoral allergen-specific immunity
- Allergen-specific antibodies in disease and as partners in allergen-specific immunotherapy
- Antibody-based approaches for treatment and prevention of allergy
Conflict of Interest Declaration: Anna Pomes is employed by InBio, Charlottesville, VA, and the research performed is funded by an R01 Award from the NIH/NIAID. Amanda Atanasio is a current employee of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and holds stock options in the company.
Type I allergy, an IgE antibody triggered hypersensitivity disease, represents a common public health problem affecting about one third of the world´s population. Upon exposure to allergens, IgE antibodies elicits allergic inflammation. In fact, IgE also plays a central role for the sensitization and the maintenance of type I allergy by causing activation of basophils and mast cells, and by mediating IgE-facilitated allergen presentation to T cells. The processes eventually result in allergic symptoms like rhinoconjunctivitis, chronic asthma, or life-threatening anaphylaxis. These clinical manifestations represent a major burden by reducing the quality of life of allergic patients and by incurring substantial cost to society.
Besides allergen-specific IgE antibodies, allergen-specific IgG antibodies affect the development and progression of type I allergy. Allergen-specific IgG antibodies predominately act as counterparts of allergen-specific IgE by preventing various IgE-mediated effects. However, the memory allergen-specific IgG B cell population may also serve as a pool of cells from which IgE-producing cells are recruited. In any event, much attention has over the past decades been given to allergen-specific IgG antibodies to define the crosstalk between IgE- and IgG-triggered effects and the ability of IgG to mediate protection against allergic disease.
This Research Topic is dedicated to crucial characteristics of allergen-specific antibodies and shall give a comprehensive survey all the way from approaches to study them to their functions. This special compilation shall provide information about reasons for the crucial interest in these fascinating key players in allergic disease and stimulate future development of this research field.
In this Research Topic, we welcome articles dealing with all aspects that are relevant to better understand the contribution of allergen-specific antibodies for development and maintenance of allergic disease, as well as their use in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of allergen-induced disorders.
More specifically, topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Monoclonal antibodies, recombinant antibody fragments, and nanobodies specific for allergens
- Bioinformatics support for the study of allergen-specific immune responses
- Antibody-based approaches for diagnosis of allergy and environmental allergen detection
- B memory cells as site for generation of allergen-specific antibodies
- Antibodies as biomarkers for successful therapy
- Crystallography as a tool to study humoral allergen-specific immunity and to further design of candidates for vaccine construction
- Hypoallergens and induction of human humoral allergen-specific immunity
- Allergen-specific antibodies in disease and as partners in allergen-specific immunotherapy
- Antibody-based approaches for treatment and prevention of allergy
Conflict of Interest Declaration: Anna Pomes is employed by InBio, Charlottesville, VA, and the research performed is funded by an R01 Award from the NIH/NIAID. Amanda Atanasio is a current employee of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and holds stock options in the company.