MBC2, a new memory cell, was discovered

By Agencies and ATuSalud

A valuable discovery was made by researchers from McMaster University in Canada and the Danish pharmaceutical company ALK-Abello, when they discovered a new cell that reminds the body that you have an allergy.

This is memory cell type B 2 (MBC2).

The discovery was published in the scientific journal “Translational Scientific Medicine”It gives researchers around the world better knowledge about treating allergies and could lead to new treatments. “We have discovered a type of memory B cell that has unique properties and a genetic signature that has not been described before,” said Josh Koenig, a professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University and co-leader of the study.

Researchers discovered this “People with allergies have this memory B cell against their allergens; But people without allergies have very few, if any, allergies. B cells are a type of immune cell that produces antibodies. These cells help fight infection, but they can also cause allergic reactions. “Let's say you're allergic to peanuts. Your immune system, through MBC2, remembers that you're allergic to peanuts, and when it encounters them again, it creates more antibodies that make you allergic.

To make this discovery, scientists created tetramers (a type of fluorescent molecule) from allergens, such as birch and peanut pollen, to find hard-to-find memory B cells.

Researchers also took advantage of in vitro clinical trial samples using sublingual immunotherapy tablets that sequence large amounts of IgE-producing B cells. (antibody).

Using cutting-edge technologies such as single-cell transcriptomics and deep sequencing of antibody gene repertoires in clinical trial samples, Scientists They were able to establish direct links between MBC2 and the antibody that causes the allergic reaction.

This provided the necessary context and ultimately revealed that MBC2 was the focus of sensitivity. “The discovery of cells containing memory IgE is a milestone and a turning point in our understanding of what causes allergies and how to treat them, such as allergy immunotherapy. The disease can be modified“, says Peter Seager-Andersen, director of ALK Research, who co-led the study with König.

Discovery MBC 2 It offers scientists a new target in treating allergies and could lead to new treatments. “The results really point to two potential therapeutic approaches we could take,” says Kelly Broughton, who co-led the research with Koenig.

“The first is to attack and eliminate these MBC2 cells in the allergic person. Another option might be to modify their function and make them do something that is ultimately harmless when the individual is exposed to the allergen,” he adds.

Data

He desires. The discovery of MBC2 gives hope to allergy sufferers. We must continue to investigate to create new treatments.