Minimal Affinity Mechanism for Allergic Reactions Discovered by AAU’s Professor Zha Lisha and Her Team

Professor Zha Lisha’s team recently elucidated the minimal affinity of IgE antibodies to induce type I hypersensitivity, which is our university’s new progress inimmunology field. The research results were published inTOP Allergy(IF 8.706) as the first signatory.

Allergy is a global disease with overall frequencies of >20%. Symptoms vary from irritating local itching to life-threatening systemic anaphylaxis. The antigen entering into the vivo that induces the production of specific IgE class antibodies and causes hypersensitivity is known as allergen, including drugs, xenoanimal serum, plant pollen, dust mites, fungal spores, animal dander or feathers, insects or their venom, as well as fish, shrimp, eggs, milk, crab, shellfish in addition to some enzymes such as lysotin subtilis and phospholipase A2 in bee venom.Type I hypersensitivity refers to the reaction that occurs within a few minutes after an already sensitized organism once again get exposed to the same antigen.The team has demonstrated that affinities as low as 10E-7M are sufficient to activate mast cells and drive allergic reactions in vivo. Low affinity IgE antibodies are able to do so.

Another work by Professor Zha ’s team of developing a SARS-COV-2 vaccine based on viroid particles was also published onVaccines(IF 4.086) on April 16^th.