Researchers from Kazakh National Agrarian Research University have developed a pioneering nose treatment for hay fever that functions as a ‘molecular shield’, possibly offer significant relief to allergy patients without the common side effects related to standard medication.
The breakthrough, led by Kaissar Tabynov and his team of researchers, focuses on the cause of hay fever – an allergic reaction causes when pollen attaches itself to IgE antibodies in the nose, mouth and eyes, causing inflammation, sneezing and itching.
Although conventional treatments such as antihistamines and steroids are aimed at reducing inflammation, they often turn out to be ineffective and can cause unwanted sleepiness.
In search of a more effective alternative, the team of Tabynov gathered blood samples from mice. They have successfully extracted a specific antibody that binds to the most important allergen found in Movwort Pollen, a common trigger of hay fever, New scientist reported.
In tests, this binding prevented the adhesion between the allergen and Ige antibodies. “It works like a molecular shield,” explains Tabynov.
A week later, the team administered a small drop of liquid that contained the pollen -blocking antibody in the nose of half of the mice, so that the process was repeated three times for five days.
The remaining mice received a saline solution instead. An hour later, mice were exposed to argument pollen in concentrations that are comparable to those of people with hay fever, says New Scientist.
After the final dose of the mice that were treated with the antibody, their noses rubbed on average 12 times for five minutes, compared to 92 times in the salt solution group.
Images confirmed that inflammation in the nose has been reduced and effects beyond the nose passages, which suggests a deeper protection. “Our study is the first to show that an allergen -specific monoclonal antibody can be used intranasally to achieve both local and systemic protection,” said Tabynov.
The treatment will not produce the adverse effects that are often associated with medication with oral hay fever, because it directly focuses the access point of the allergen, the team claims.
“This study is an important milestone, which emphasizes the potential of intranasal therapies for allergic rhinitis [hay fever]”Sayantani Sindher of Stanford University said.
Tabynov noted that success in mice did not guarantee the same results in people. The antibody must be adjusted to ensure that it is suitable for human use. If the development runs smoothly, the team wants to start human tests for the next three years.
