11/1/13

Bee sting allergy could be a defense response gone haywire

News Health & Medicine

Articles Mind & Brain

Videos Plants & Animals

Images Earth & Climate

Books Space & Time

Search ... Matter & Energy Computers & Math Save Email

Go Fossils & Ruins Print Share

Science News

... from universities, journals, and other research organizations

Bee Sting Allergy Could Be a Defense Response Gone Haywire

Oct. 24, 2013 For most people, a bee sting causes temporary pain and discomfort, but for those with a bee venom allergy, the consequences can be devastating: They experience anaphylactic shock, including a drop in blood pressure, itchy hives and breathing problems, and may die if not promptly treated.
Share This:
Like 145 42 enlarge

Interested in ad-free access? If you'd like to read ScienceDaily without ads, let us know! Just In: Former Missile-Tracking Telescope Sees Pulsar more breaking science news

Social Networks
Follow ScienceDaily on Facebook, Twitter, and Google : Facebook Share Twitter Share Google+ Share

Tw eet 3

New findings by Stanford University School of Medicine scientists may provide an evolutionary explanation for severe allergic reactions. In a paper to be published online Oct. 24 in Immunity , the researchers show that mice injected with a small dose of bee venom were later resistant to a potentially lethal dose of the same venom. The study is the first experimental evidence that the same immune response involved in allergies may have evolved to serve a protective role against toxins.

Recommend ScienceDaily on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +1:

Like 71k Tw eet 28.2K 11k

The study builds on earlier work by the researchers, characterizing the innate immune response to snake venom and honeybee venom. Innate immune responses occur in subjects Related Topics exposed to a foreign substance, such as a pathogen or a toxic material like venom, for the first time. Immune cells called mast Health & Medicine Articles cells, which reside in most of the body's tissues, are poised to unleash signals that turn on defense responses when a pathogen Immune System Immune system or toxin intrudes. In a previous study, the researchers found that Allergy Allergen mast cells produce enzymes that can detoxify components of Lymphoma Natural killer cell snake venom, and that mast cells can also enhance innate T cell Plants & Animals resistance to honeybee venom. Bee sting Mice Such innate immune responses do not require prior White blood cell Frogs and Reptiles immunization or the development of specific antibodies. By Genetically Modified contrast, during an adaptive immune response, the immune system generates antibodies that recognize the invading pathogen or toxin; this process makes it possible to vaccinate against infectious diseases. Adaptive immunity is usually a faster, more specific and more effective form of defense than www.BioOncology.com innate immunity. Explore how monoclonal antibodies can play a In allergic reactions, a type of antibody called IgE binds to the role in cancer therapy. surface of mast cells and prompts them to initiate an adaptive immune response when exposed to the antigen recognized by that IgE. "The functions of IgE and mast cells are mostly known in the context of allergies," said Thomas Marichal, DVM, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar and co-lead author of the study.

Bumblebee. For most people, a bee sting causes temporary pain and discomfort, but for those with a bee venom allergy, the consequences can be devastating: They experience anaphylactic shock, including a drop in blood pressure, itchy hives and breathing problems, and may die if not promptly treated. (Credit: tr3gi / Fotolia)

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools: | Share Share Share Share Share Share Share
103K

Monoclonal Antibodies

Breaking News

... from NewsDaily.com

Major oyster reef rebuilding begins on Texas coast UT man builds largest amateur telescope on record Fido's tail wags may reveal more than you think Bryan Cranston narrates 'Big History' exploration Belgium considering new euthanasia law for kids Dig turns up ancient artifacts at upstate NY site Texas club auctions right to hunt endangered rhino Chamblee says 'cheating' insinuation was a mistake more science news

"It was kind of a dogma that most IgE-related responses are detrimental," said postdoctoral scholar Philipp Starkl, PhD, the other lead author. "We and others speculated that there should be some very positive evolutionary pressure to keep these cells and these antibodies, because if they were just bad and deleterious, they would have been eliminated." The researchers hypothesized that IgE might be required for protection against a lethal sting, and that allergies are an extreme, and maladaptive, example of this type of defense. This idea, known as the toxin hypothesis of allergy, was first proposed by Margie Profet in 1991, but was largely ignored by immunologists until recently. To find out whether adaptive immune responses could help mice resist bee venom, Marichal and Starkl first injected mice with a low dose of venom equivalent to one or two stings. The mice developed more venom-specific immune cells, and higher levels of IgE antibodies against the venom, than control mice injected with a salt solution. Three weeks later, they injected both groups of mice with a potentially lethal dose of venom, similar to five bee stings. The immunized mice had less hypothermia and were three times more likely to survive than the control mice. Moreover, they did

Asthma Support

Uncontrolled asthma? 2013 Best Skin Tighteners

Related Stories

New Target Identified for Food Allergy Therapy In Other News ... (Aug. 1, 2013) Researchers have identified an U.N. envoy hopes for Syria peace conference enzyme that is essential to the allergic reaction to within weeks peanuts. Blocking the enzyme's activity in Snowden tells Germany he hopes U.S. will stop sensitized mice prevented diarrhea and 'harmful behavior' inflammation, and reduced levels ... > read more Grosjean tops Abu Dhabi GP opening practice The Rise of Deadly Insect Sting Allergies: Is Prosecutor: Editor told underling to hack phones There a Cure? (Aug. 1, 2013) Insect sting Turkey, Iran signal thaw in ties amid mutual allergy is increasing, affecting five percent of the concern on Syria population. But what much of the population may not understand is that there is something that can UK phone-hacking trial hears editor wrote 'do his be done about ... > read more phone' UN says nearly 1,000 Iraqis killed in October Kerry to make first

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131024121448.htm

1/3

11/1/13

Bee sting allergy could be a defense response gone haywire

trip to Egypt since Mursi's ouster Scientists Tap Into Antarctic Octopus Venom (July 28, 2010) Researchers have collected venom from octopuses in Antarctica for the first time, significantly advancing our understanding of the properties of venom as a potential resource for drug development. ... > read more Venomous Catfish Described (Dec. 4, 2009) In contrast to the exhaustive research into venom produced by snakes and spiders, venomous fish have been neglected and remain something of a mystery. Now, a study of 158 catfish species has ... > read more more top news

not develop the anaphylactic reactions characteristic of severe allergies. To determine whether IgE antibodies were required for this protection, the team tested mice with three types of mutations: mice without IgE, mice without functional IgE receptors on their mast cells, and mice without mast cells. The IgE-deficient mutant mice were previously developed by Hans Oettgen, MD, PhD, associate professor of pediatric immunology at Harvard Medical School and a co-author of the study. In all three groups of mutant mice, pre-immunization with a low dose of bee venom did not confer protection against a lethal dose, suggesting that the protection depends on IgE signaling and mast cell activation. "That was pretty exciting for us," said Marichal. "It was the first time we could see a beneficial function for these IgE antibodies."

Pre-immunization with a low dose of venom from the Russell's viper also protected mice from a higher dose of venom from this Genetic Analysis Reveals Secrets Of Scorpion snake, which is one of the "big four" species responsible for Venom (Aug. 24, 2009) Transcriptomic tests most snakebite deaths in India. So the researchers believe the have uncovered the protein composition of venom response could be generalized to different types of toxic venoms. from the Scorpiops jendeki scorpion. Researchers have carried out the first ever venom analysis in this "Our findings support the hypothesis that this kind of venomarachnid, and discovered ... > read more specific, IgE-associated, adaptive immune response developed, at least in evolutionary terms, to protect the host against potentially toxic amounts of venom, such as would happen if the animal encountered a whole nest of bees, or in the event of a snakebite," said Stephen Galli, MD, professor and chair of pathology and the co-senior author of the study. "Anaphylaxis www.DenverHealth.org/Anorexia probably represents the extreme end of a spectrum of IgEassociated reactivity, which in some unfortunate individuals is Hospital Treatment For The Sickest Eating either poorly regulated or excessively robust, so the reaction Disorder Patients. Call Now! itself can become dangerous to them."

Anorexia Treatment Center

Galli cautioned that it's not yet known whether IgE responses also protect humans from the toxic effects of arthropod or reptile venom, but it would be unthinkable to test lethal doses of venom in humans. Reptile and arthropod venoms are complex chemical cocktails. Some venom components have evolved to mimic chemicals made by the human body, such as endothelin-1, which causes blood vessels to constrict during bacterial infections. At the same time, mammals have evolved immune responses to venom, which in some cases escalate into maladaptive allergic reactions. "We experience allergies in a much cleaner world, where we don't have the same threats of venomous creatures and potentially toxic food that existed for much of our evolutionary history," said Galli. "And so we're left with this residual type of reactivity that seems completely mysterious and pointless and harmful. This is the first evidence, that we know of, indicating that IgE-associated 'allergic-type' immune responses can actually reduce the toxicity of naturally occurring venoms." Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google :
Like 145 Tw eet 42 3

LEED AP Certification Alzheimer's Trial

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools: Share Share Share Share Share Share Share | Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by Stanford University Medical Center. The original article was written by Molly Sharlach. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above. Journal Reference : 1. Thomas Marichal, Philipp Starkl, Laurent L. Reber, Janet Kalesnikoff, Hans C. Oettgen, Mindy Tsai, Martin Metz, Stephen J. Galli. A Beneficial Role for Immunoglobulin E in Host Defense against Honeybee Venom . Immunity , 24 October 2013 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2013.10.005 Need to cite this story in your essay, paper, or report? Use one of the following formats: APA MLA Stanford University Medical Center (2013, October 24). Bee sting allergy could be a defense response gone haywire. ScienceDaily . Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2013/10/131024121448.htm story Plant Biologists And Immunochemists Develop Hypoallergenic Alternative To Latex Environmental Scientists Fume About Disappearing Flower Fragrances Entomologists Buzzing About Vanishing Bee Populations more science videos
3

Science Video News

Beating Bone Marrow Cancer
To lessen the impact of chemotherapy on bone marrow cancer patients, hematologists are recruiting the patients' own immune systems to help. White. ... > full

Strange Science News

Magnetic 'Force Field' Shields Giant Gas Cloud During Collision With Milky Way Former Missile-Tracking Telescope Helps Reveal Fate of Baby Pulsar Houston We Have a Problem: Microgravity Accelerates Biological Aging Underwater Robots Influence Complex Swimming

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131024121448.htm

2/3

11/1/13
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Bee sting allergy could be a defense response gone haywire

Behaviors of Schooling Fish Gaming Technology Unravels One of the Most Complex Entities in Nature: Computational Research Unveils Secrets in the Human Carbohydrate Bar-Code more strange science news

Search ScienceDaily
Find with keyword(s):

Number of stories in archives: 145,855 Search

Free Subscriptions

... from ScienceDaily

Enter a keyword or phrase to search ScienceDaily's archives for related news topics, the latest news stories, reference articles, science videos, images, and books. Recommend ScienceDaily on Facebook, Twitter, and Google :
Like 145 Tw eet 42 3

Get the latest science news with our free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Email Newsletters RSS Newsfeeds

Other social bookmarking and sharing services: | Share Share Share Share Share Share Share
103K

Feedback

... we want to hear from you!

Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Have any problems using the site? Questions? Leave Feedback

Save

Email

Print

Share

About ScienceDaily | Editorial Staff | Awards & Reviews | Contribute News | Advertise With Us | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use Copyright 2013 by ScienceDaily, LLC or by third-party sources, where indicated. All rights controlled by their respective owners. Content on this website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. Views expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, or its partners.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131024121448.htm

3/3