Immune mechanisms underpinning remission of allergy

2021 AIFA Ann Kupa Food Allergy Research Grant

Professor Mimi Tang, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne.

This project aims to decipher immune pathways supporting long-lasting remission of allergy, which will facilitate development of effective long-term treatments.

Clinical remission of allergy may be long-lasting or transient. Peanut oral immunotherapy alone (OIT) or in combination with probiotic (Probiotic Peanut Oral Immunotherapy or PPOIT) have both been shown to induce remission. PPOIT-induced remission was shown to last up to 4 years in 70% of initial responders, whereas OIT-induced remission was lost in two thirds (67%) of responders by 12 months after treatment. The immune changes underpinning remission and long-lasting remission remain unknown.

Immune responses are determined by networks of proteins/genes working together in a coordinated fashion. Previous studies have interrogated selected genes and pathways, generating an oversimplified and incomplete picture of underlying mechanisms.

A systems biology approach is needed to decipher the complex immune processes driving remission, and their coordinated inter-relationships. The aim of this project is to profile molecular and cellular changes associated with long-lasting versus transient remission, to identify specific changes leading to long-lasting remission. Findings will provide vital new knowledge that accelerates the path to finding a long-term treatment for peanut allergy. 

AIFA is grateful to Professor Ann Kupa for the support of this grant