{"title":"Anti-allergen monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of allergies","authors":"Niccolo Pengo PhD, Natascha Wuillemin PhD, Dimitri Bieli PhD, Pascal Gasser PhD","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00263-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00263-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>To tackle the growing allergy epidemic, novel therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. One promising avenue is the development of anti-allergen antibody therapies. This passive immunization approach stands out from traditional allergen immunotherapy by not exposing patients to the allergen but also by potentially treating patients who are less responsive or even unresponsive to allergen immunotherapies and providing immediate protection.</p><h3>Methods\t</h3><p>After a review of historical and recently published literature on the topic of anti-allergen antibodies, the status quo and recent advancements are presented. Anti-allergen antibody therapies in the context of immunological changes that occur during allergen immunotherapy are also discussed.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>While the protective role of anti-allergen antibodies was recognized decades ago, the advancement of antibody discovery technologies has fueled the field, and now different anti-allergen antibody therapies are approaching clinical use. These developments have also broadened our understanding of the allergens and allergenic epitopes responsible in different allergic diseases, and also the role played by immunoglobulins in shaping the immune system.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The development of anti-allergen antibody therapies offers great potential for the treatment of allergies. Of interest, the efficacy of passive immunization approaches will likely extend beyond allergen neutralization as in the presence of the allergen they might contribute to long-lasting disease modification.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 7","pages":"289 - 295"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40629-023-00263-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41681351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katharina Bastl, Maximilian Bastl, Markus Berger, Lukas Dirr, Uwe E. Berger
{"title":"Phenology as a tool to gain more insights into the grass pollen season","authors":"Katharina Bastl, Maximilian Bastl, Markus Berger, Lukas Dirr, Uwe E. Berger","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00264-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00264-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Grass pollen allergy is the most common pollen allergy in the world. The grass family (Poaceae) consists of many genera and species of allergenic importance, but all share a uniform pollen grain morphology. Phenology is the key to discriminate different taxa.</p><h3>Methodology</h3><p>PubMed was used as the search engine. The publications found were selected based on their relevance and summarized.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Studies with this focus are still rare. The composition of grass genera and species varies largely from region to region. Some taxa play a more important role in terms of pollen release and allergenicity than others.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Phenological routines need deep botanical knowledge and are time-consuming. Nonetheless, they should be integrated into studies on the grass pollen season since they allow a more precise understanding.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"33 1","pages":"20 - 23"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40629-023-00264-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41939863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maximilian Bastl, Katharina Bastl, Lukas Dirr, Markus Berger, Uwe Berger
{"title":"Methods and standards of pollen monitoring—significance of pollen measurements at different altitudes","authors":"Maximilian Bastl, Katharina Bastl, Lukas Dirr, Markus Berger, Uwe Berger","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00268-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00268-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The measurement of pollen concentrations has been performed according to various protocols in recent decades. In all approaches the following questions were of importance: the positioning of the measuring device (whether at roof or nose level), the reliability as well as the comparability of measurements.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Current methods for pollen measurements and previous studies on measurement heights are presented and compared.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The most widely used device is the Hirst pollen and spore trap. Its data is widely used for pollen information, pollen prediction models, and clinical studies. The position of the trap at roof level remains the current standard as the pollen concentrations correlate best with “real world” situation and regional symptom data.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The guideline for the detection of pollen and spores for allergy networks (EN 16868:2019-09) in Europe was an important step towards standardization. Modern, automated measurement methods are still in experimental stage in terms of validation and comparability. Harmonization of data from different measurement methods is a future challenge.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 6","pages":"162 - 166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40629-023-00268-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46783829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophie Grosse-Kathoefer, Lorenz Aglas, Fatima Ferreira, Lisa Pointner
{"title":"What inhalant allergens can do and not do?—The cooperation of allergens and their source in Th2 polarization and allergic sensitization","authors":"Sophie Grosse-Kathoefer, Lorenz Aglas, Fatima Ferreira, Lisa Pointner","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00262-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00262-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 7","pages":"258 - 268"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40629-023-00262-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43346229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lukas Dirr, Katharina Bastl, Maximilian Bastl, Markus Berger, Uwe E. Berger
{"title":"Prolonging the period of allergenic burden: late-flowering grasses and local peculiarities","authors":"Lukas Dirr, Katharina Bastl, Maximilian Bastl, Markus Berger, Uwe E. Berger","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00267-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00267-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h2>Summary</h2><div><h3>Background</h3><p>The grass pollen season is characterized by a particularly long duration, covering the months May to July in Europe but can vary depending on the altitude and geographical location.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Three grass species whose flowering period takes place late in the season are discussed in detail: <i>Phragmites australis </i>(common reed), <i>Miscanthus </i>spp. (silvergrass), and <i>Zea mays </i>(maize).</p><h3>Results</h3><p><i>Phragmites australis </i>flowers between August and September and provides significant pollen concentrations at sites with large reed populations. <i>Miscanthus </i>spp. flowers from August to October and is found as an ornamental plant in urban areas and as a crop plant in rural areas. <i>Zea mays </i>flowers from July to October and can cause discomfort especially in the vicinity of cornfields.</p><h3>Discussion</h3><p>Phenological observations are an important part of aerobiological routine work to gain insights into regional peculiarities like late-flowering grasses, which play a role in prolonging the duration of the grass pollen season.</p></div></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 6","pages":"157 - 161"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40629-023-00267-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50518060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lukas Dirr, K. Bastl, Maximilian Bastl, M. Berger, U. Berger
{"title":"Prolonging the period of allergenic burden: late-flowering grasses and local peculiarities","authors":"Lukas Dirr, K. Bastl, Maximilian Bastl, M. Berger, U. Berger","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00267-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40629-023-00267-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 1","pages":"157 - 161"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"52735577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christiane Hilger PhD, Stephanie Dramburg, Alexandra F. Santos, Leticia de las Vecillas, Karin Hoffmann-Sommergruber
{"title":"The Molecular Allergology User’s Guide 2.0: Update on relevant new content","authors":"Christiane Hilger PhD, Stephanie Dramburg, Alexandra F. Santos, Leticia de las Vecillas, Karin Hoffmann-Sommergruber","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00260-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00260-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The first Molecular Allergology User’s Guide was published in 2016 and quickly became a key reference for many clinicians and scientists worldwide. The rapid development of our knowledge on allergen molecules as well as the availability of new assays and new clinical studies created a need for an update of the guide. In a concerted effort by almost 100 authors, all chapters of the first edition were revised and new chapters added, creating the most up-to-date and freely available guide on molecular allergology for daily practice. This article gives a summary of the most important additions to the 2022 edition, MAUG 2.0.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 7","pages":"233 - 239"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40629-023-00260-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45421657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular engineering of nanobodies as tools in allergology: diagnostics and beyond","authors":"Josephine Baunvig Aagaard, Anne-Sofie Ravn Ballegaard, Pernille Ommen Andersen, Edzard Spillner","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00261-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00261-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h2>Summary</h2><div><h3>Background</h3><p>Molecular technologies have paved the way to improved understanding of allergic diseases in many ways, ranging from molecular allergens to tailor-made tools for analytical, diagnostic, and therapeutic purposes. Engineering of such molecules has become a mainstay in most biotechnical and biomedical areas. A not so new kid on the block is the nanobody, a single-domain antibody obtained from primarily camelid species. Despite their large promise and potential, it took nanobodies a long time to also enter the stage in allergology.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>This review summarizes the state of the art and the feasibility of engineering nanobody-based tools for applications in allergology.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>In recent years, nanobodies with specificity for allergens have been increasingly generated. In parallel, their molecular engineering has enabled the development of derivatives that offer many advantages compared to standard antibody approaches. Hence, different application forms of nanobody-based molecules have been developed and reported in proof-of-concept studies.</p><h3>Discussion</h3><p>Recent studies give a first glimpse of the future possibilities of nanobody technologies in a complex system such as allergic diseases. It has become clear that the simplicity of the approaches as compared to regular antibody technologies will both broaden and deepen the scope of applications in allergology.</p></div></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 7","pages":"240 - 250"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48947422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Update on oral and epicutaneous immunotherapy for children with food allergy","authors":"Yoko Miura MD, Sakura Sato MD, Noriyuki Yanagida MD, Motohiro Ebisawa MD, PhD","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00256-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00256-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Several oral immunotherapies (OITs) are used to treat food allergies. Recently, several protocols have been implemented to ensure the safety of OITs with a growing trend towards implementing them in a larger patient population. Additionally, reports on follow-up immunotherapy using the transdermal route have been reported. In this review, we summarize the evidence on current immunotherapies for food allergy.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>We selected and reviewed studies on OIT and epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) that showed evidence of clinical efficacy and safety in patients with an immediate type of food allergy.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Continuation of low-dose OIT is considered relatively safe in patients with severe food allergies with a gradual increase in the daily dose of the immunotherapeutic agents. OIT products could be introduced through desensitization protocols to prevent serious adverse reactions; however, appropriate methods should be used to continue their use. Combining omalizumab, antihistamines, or probiotics with OITs improves the safety. Compared to OIT, EPIT is generally safer but has a lower efficacy. Furthermore, OIT is effective in some young patients. However, the selection of participants in such cases is critical from a safety perspective. Long-term OIT at relatively high target doses is associated with serious safety concerns.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The implementation of recent treatment protocols has significantly improved the safety of OIT. Therefore, its continuation using safety protocols can be considered in the selection of the optimal OIT for individual patients, as provision of safe and effective treatment is crucial for the success of OIT.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 7","pages":"269 - 279"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45070846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How molecular diagnostics help us to correctly identify pet allergies","authors":"Wolfgang Hemmer PhD","doi":"10.1007/s40629-023-00255-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40629-023-00255-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h2>Summary</h2><div><p>Simultaneous sensitization to two or more animal species is common and represents a regular diagnostic problem during conventional extract-based allergy diagnosis. The use of single allergen molecules reveals the underlying cause of polysensitization and enables the distinction between primary sensitization and cross-reaction as a prerequisite for the selection of appropriate immunotherapy vaccines. Individual sensitization patterns can be valuable predictors of clinical relevance, symptom severity and asthma risk, and in part reflect current or past animal exposure. The concept of “marker allergens” is challenging in the case of pet allergies because many animal allergens are ubiquitous pan-allergens limiting the definition of group-specific markers. Alternatively, quantitative aspects often have to be used to identify the primary sensitizers. A sufficient number of allergen molecules is now available from cat and dog to unravel the many cases of cat–dog double sensitization. There are still substantial diagnostic gaps concerning allergens from small animals and farm animals, or such allergens are only available for multiplex testing. The lipocalins, a particularly species-rich and heterogeneous allergen family comprising important major and minor allergens from virtually all furry animals, show complex cross-reactivity patterns with each other and have been recently identified as a major cause of polysensitization.</p></div></div>","PeriodicalId":37457,"journal":{"name":"Allergo Journal International","volume":"32 5","pages":"123 - 129"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40629-023-00255-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42959064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}