Mothers' Exposure to Microbes Prevents Children's Allergies
A recent German study has found that a pregnant woman’s exposure to microbes may protect her unborn child from developing allergies later in life. ScienceDaily reports that “environmental bacteria triggers a mild inflammatory response in pregnant mice that renders their offspring resistant to allergies.”
Patrick Holt and Deborah Strickland, researchers involved in the study which is published in the online Journal of Experimental Medicine, discuss the biological mechanisms behind their findings and how they may one day lead to the prevention of allergies in humans.
Allergies have become increasingly prevalent in the past several decades, a phenomenon which many attribute to a theory called the "hygiene hypothesis". The theory involves the idea that children exposed to environmental microbes at a young age are less likely to develop allergies later in life. For instance, the most classically cited example is that children raised on microbe-rich farms developed fewer allergies than those raised in cities or non-farming rural regions.
However, it may not be the exposure that makes the difference. Children of farming mothers are less susceptible to allergies regardless of their own exposure. The findings were compelling, but the biological mechanisms behind the fact were a mystery. The new study sheds some light on this fact: pregnant mice exposed to inhaled barnyard microbes gave birth to allergy-resistant pups.
It is still unknown how this works exactly or whether the protection applies to a broad range of allergens. As with many recent research developments in the allergy field, however, the findings provide another piece in the puzzle of allergy prevention.
Patrick Holt and Deborah Strickland, researchers involved in the study which is published in the online Journal of Experimental Medicine, discuss the biological mechanisms behind their findings and how they may one day lead to the prevention of allergies in humans.
Allergies have become increasingly prevalent in the past several decades, a phenomenon which many attribute to a theory called the "hygiene hypothesis". The theory involves the idea that children exposed to environmental microbes at a young age are less likely to develop allergies later in life. For instance, the most classically cited example is that children raised on microbe-rich farms developed fewer allergies than those raised in cities or non-farming rural regions.
However, it may not be the exposure that makes the difference. Children of farming mothers are less susceptible to allergies regardless of their own exposure. The findings were compelling, but the biological mechanisms behind the fact were a mystery. The new study sheds some light on this fact: pregnant mice exposed to inhaled barnyard microbes gave birth to allergy-resistant pups.
It is still unknown how this works exactly or whether the protection applies to a broad range of allergens. As with many recent research developments in the allergy field, however, the findings provide another piece in the puzzle of allergy prevention.
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