The Study of AllergoOncology

New areas of research show up every so often. One such area of study is AllergoOncology. This field of research was founded by the head of the Department of Pathophysiology, Professor Erika Jensen-Jarolim, at the Medical University of Vienna. With help from the Austrian Science Fund FWF, she was able to secure AllergoOncology as a field of medical research.

AllergoOncology is a part of oncology that focuses on the roles of IgE immunoglobulins and TH2 immune responses in fighting cancer cells. Many people know that IgE immunoglobulins are responsible for releasing chemicals from cells in your body during an allergic reaction. This release of chemicals then produces the symptoms of allergy such as stuffy or runny nose, itchy or water eyes, sneezing, etc.. Yet, through testing, the IgE class of immunoglobulins has a greater instance of anti-tumor effects than other immunoglobulins. The responses IgE immunoglobulins produce against what the body says are unwanted or harmful proteins, can be redirected toward the proteins in cancer cells.

Scientists are looking at applying IgE therapy to cancer treatments in the future. Right now only IgG immunoglobulin compounds are used in cancer treatments. Before IgE therapy can be added to the list of treatments against cancer, further controlled clinical studies need to be performed.

Professor Jensen-Jarolim's team proved that immunization stimulates the body into producing efficient IgE antibodies that attack tumors by using an animal as a model. They fed mice a peptide (a polymer formed by the linking of amino acids) similar to a tumor peptide, which also reduced acidification in the stomach. Without the needed acid for digestion, digestion of the peptide is hindered and absorption cannot take place. Thus, an allergic reaction against the tumor-like peptide resulted and the mice produced the tumor-specific IgE antibodies the scientists were looking for. This experiment resulted in the world's first active tumor vaccination involving IgE stimulation.

Even though AllergoOncology is a relatively new area of study, scientists have known about the allergy-cancer link for over fifty years. Two symposiums have been held in the past two years and more than ninety doctors from ten countries have attended. They discussed various points on IgE antibodies and how they may be able to help cancer patients some day. For now, they know of the positive results in mice and are not certain if the results can be transferred to humans.

But now with the study of AllergoOncology more experiments into this phenomenon of IgE responses inhibiting tumor growth, cures for certain types of cancer is on the horizon. This may bring relief and hope to the cancer sufferers of the future.

Resources:

http://www.allergooncology.org

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AllergoOncology

http://en.wikipedfia.org/wiki/Peptide

http://mediconews.com/2007/04/19/high-levels-of-antibodies-low-levels-of-cancer/

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104104.php

http://www.meduniwien.ac.at/homepage/news-and-topstories/en/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=171&tx_ttnews[backPid]=471&cHash=76eeb441ca