Scientists Have Long Searched for a Definitive Cure for Allergies. The Biggest Question Remains Unanswered: How Do They Work?

Spring brings a downside for many: allergies. The season sees a surge in pollen allergens, which is probably the main reason you’re sneezing during this time of year.

The most common method for treating hay fever is through antihistamines. These medications are designed to block the effects of histamine, a neurotransmitter that also plays an important role in the immune system. Allergies are essentially reactions of our immune system to allergens. It mistakenly perceives these external substances as dangerous, even though they’re not harmful.

Antihistamines are very effective in alleviating allergic symptoms. However, symptom relief and a permanent cure are two completely different things. There’s currently no definitive cure for allergies, but some promising research may lead the scientific community closer to achieving one.

Vaccination is one of the first treatments that often comes to mind when discussing allergy cures. Allergy vaccines are based on immunotherapy. They work similarly to traditional vaccines. They involve administering a small amount of the substance that triggers the allergy to stimulate the immune system without provoking a full allergic reaction.

While vaccines can be beneficial in many cases, they don’t provide a permanent solution, meaning that periodic injections are necessary to enhance the immune system’s response.

So, what other options are available? Nearly a decade ago, one promising solution was “biological therapies.” They focus on antibodies, which are proteins the body produces in response to substances it perceives as harmful.

This type of treatment remains one significant hope. A notable example is omalizumab, a drug initially designed to treat asthma that doctors in the U.S. have been prescribing for two decades.

Scientific research has validated this therapeutic option in recent years. A study published in Clinical and Translational Allergy in 2022 found that omalizumab effectively prevented spring allergic rhinitis.

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Understanding the Problem

To grasp how knowledge on allergies has evolved in recent years, the challenges of finding a definitive cure must first be addressed. There still lacks a comprehensive understanding of allergies, which hinders the ability to find effective solutions.

Scientists don’t fully understand why some individuals experience specific allergies, while others react differently or don’t have any allergic responses at all. It still remains a mystery why allergies are often permanent, even though the antibodies typically associated with them don’t persist in our bodies for extended periods.

Two studies published in Science Translational Medicine in 2024 may shed light on this issue, particularly regarding the persistence of allergies. The findings suggest that an antibody not usually linked to allergies, known as immunoglobulin G (IgG), and the cells that produce it, may play a crucial role.

Researchers studying allergies have found that cells responsible for producing IgG switch to producing immunoglobulin E (IgE), which is linked to allergic reactions, when encountering an allergen. This switch may hold the key to understanding the phenomenon of allergic “memory” in our immune system.

Unfortunately, it appears that the issue of allergies is likely to worsen before it improves. An increasing number of individuals are experiencing allergic disorders. Several factors could contribute to the rapid rise in allergy cases worldwide, independently or in combination.

One hypothesis is related to hygiene. Our immune system develops through exposure to external agents. As such, a lack of exposure during early childhood may cause the immune system to misinterpret these agents as threats. When individuals are eventually exposed to them later in life, their immune systems may react excessively.

Factors like climate change may worsen allergies. Changing weather patterns can increase the intensity of allergy seasons while also altering the distribution of allergens, such as introducing new plant species into our environment.

From an environmental perspective, the presence of pollutants in the atmosphere can negatively impact airways, compounding the effects of traditional allergens and worsening allergy symptoms.

Image | Britanny Colette

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