Scientists Have Discovered Immune Cell Subtype in a Mouse

Allergies can result in life-threatening when they cause anaphylaxis which is an extreme reaction with some constriction from the airways and also a sudden drop in blood pressure. Scientists have also identified a subtype of immune cell which drive the production of antibodies that are associated with anaphylaxis and also other reactions which are allergic. The research was ultimately funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that is a part of the National Institutes of Health, and further reveals a potential target for therapies for preventing severe allergic reactions.
Investigators from Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut and the Jackson Laboratory for study of Genomic Medicine, Connecticut, Farmington, and their collaborators has discovered a subtype of T cells known as T follicular helper cell 13, or Tfh13 cells – in a laboratory where mice bred to have a rare genetic immune disease namely DOCK8 immunodeficiency syndrome.
In humans, deficiency of DOCK8 can lead to recurrent viral infections of the skin and also respiratory system and if seen severe, allergies and asthma too.
Allergies and anaphylaxis both are linked with the production of high levels of high-affinity IgE antibodies, which has the ability to bind strongly to allergens for spurring allergic reactions. The investigators has noted that mice with a DOCK8 deficiency possessed novel T follicular helper cells that is not found in normal mice, which further produced a unique combination of chemical messengers known as cytokines.

By: Prerana Sharma
Content: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190801142538.htm