Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: Nanoparticles could boost effectiveness and reduce side effects of allergy shots

Home > Press > Nanoparticles could boost effectiveness and reduce side effects of allergy shots

People with severe allergies could benefit from the development of a new allergy shot with fewer side effects.

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Abstract:
Whether triggered by cats, bees, pollen or mites, allergies are on the rise. And the bad news doesn't stop there. The only current therapy that treats their causes is allergen-specific immunotherapy -- or allergy shots -- which can cause severe side effects. Now, researchers report in Biomacromolecules the development of a potentially better allergy shot that uses nanocarriers to address these unwanted issues.

Nanoparticles could boost effectiveness and reduce side effects of allergy shots

Washington, DC | Posted on September 24th, 2015

For many people, allergies are a seasonal annoyance. But for others, exposure to a particular allergen can cause adverse reactions such as itching, breathing problems or even death. Allergy shots can reduce sensitivity by slowly ramping up exposure to the offending substance. But because these shots expose the body to the very thing people are allergic to, the treatment itself can sometimes trigger reactions. In order to develop a safer, more direct, cause-based therapy, researchers have developed nanoparticles that envelop an allergen and deliver it to specific cells. But these carriers degrade too slowly, hampering the effectiveness of the treatment. Holger Frey and colleagues set out to overcome these limitations.

The researchers designed a new type of nanocarrier based on the biocompatible molecule poly(ethylene glycol), or PEG, that releases its cargo only in targeted immune cells. The nanocarrier degrades when it encounters the acidic part of these cells, simultaneously releasing the allergen and getting rid of the packaging. The researchers say this approach also could be used for vaccines or immunotherapies for other conditions such as cancer or AIDS.

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The authors acknowledge funding from the Max Planck Graduate Center at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and the Center for Natural Sciences and Medicine (NMFZ) of the Johannes Gutenberg University.

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About American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 158,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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Contacts:
Michael Bernstein

202-872-6042

Holger Frey, Ph.D.
Institute of Organic Chemistry
Johannes Gutenberg University
Mainz, Germany
Phone: +49-6131-39-24078

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