Allergo Journal International最新文献

Background

Molecular technologies have paved the way to improved understanding of allergic diseases in many ways, ranging from molecular allergens to tailor-made tools for analytical, diagnostic, and therapeutic purposes. Engineering of such molecules has become a mainstay in most biotechnical and biomedical areas. A not so new kid on the block is the nanobody, a single-domain antibody obtained from primarily camelid species. Despite their large promise and potential, it took nanobodies a long time to also enter the stage in allergology.

Methods

This review summarizes the state of the art and the feasibility of engineering nanobody-based tools for applications in allergology.

Results

In recent years, nanobodies with specificity for allergens have been increasingly generated. In parallel, their molecular engineering has enabled the development of derivatives that offer many advantages compared to standard antibody approaches. Hence, different application forms of nanobody-based molecules have been developed and reported in proof-of-concept studies.

Discussion

Recent studies give a first glimpse of the future possibilities of nanobody technologies in a complex system such as allergic diseases. It has become clear that the simplicity of the approaches as compared to regular antibody technologies will both broaden and deepen the scope of applications in allergology.

Simultaneous sensitization to two or more animal species is common and represents a regular diagnostic problem during conventional extract-based allergy diagnosis. The use of single allergen molecules reveals the underlying cause of polysensitization and enables the distinction between primary sensitization and cross-reaction as a prerequisite for the selection of appropriate immunotherapy vaccines. Individual sensitization patterns can be valuable predictors of clinical relevance, symptom severity and asthma risk, and in part reflect current or past animal exposure. The concept of “marker allergens” is challenging in the case of pet allergies because many animal allergens are ubiquitous pan-allergens limiting the definition of group-specific markers. Alternatively, quantitative aspects often have to be used to identify the primary sensitizers. A sufficient number of allergen molecules is now available from cat and dog to unravel the many cases of cat–dog double sensitization. There are still substantial diagnostic gaps concerning allergens from small animals and farm animals, or such allergens are only available for multiplex testing. The lipocalins, a particularly species-rich and heterogeneous allergen family comprising important major and minor allergens from virtually all furry animals, show complex cross-reactivity patterns with each other and have been recently identified as a major cause of polysensitization.

Pets are popular and are kept all over the world. In addition to the many positive psychosocial and physical effects, there are unfortunately, in addition to possible allergic reactions to animals, numerous diseases that can be transmitted from pets and farm animals to their owners that can negatively affect their health. These so-called zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. The pathogens include bacteria, parasites, fungi, and viruses. Transmission of zoonotic pathogens can occur wherever there is contact with or consumption of animals or animal products. This can occur in connection with domesticated animals, in trade, in hunting, or in research. Zoonoses can also be of importance as an occupational disease in the field of livestock farming. Due to the close relationship between humans and animals, zoonotic diseases are a global public health problem that should not be underestimated. This article discusses some more common zoonoses of the skin that can be caused by pets.

Since the beginning of domestication, the living conditions which are shared between humans and companion animals have changed dramatically. More time is spent together indoors, not only in urban places, but also in rural areas. Among the positive aspects is the asthma- and allergy-protective effect of living with pets during fetal development and infancy. In addition, there are benefits in terms of social interactions and mental health for humans and, as far as can be assessed, also for companion animals. Animals, especially dogs, are also brought more often to workplaces and schools. Thus, a number of the positive effects on social and health aspects are likely to come to these places of activity as well. Optimal preparation of the workplace for the animal by the owner, as well as instruction of employees and, additionally, training of the animal could help reduce potentially adverse effects. Such negative effects could include interference with work processes (phone calls, meetings, lectures, sales calls), and fear of bites or accident hazards by colleagues. In the sense of a One Health approach, this article focuses on the importance of animals (especially dogs) and humans sharing the home, but also the workplace. The effects on allergic/asthmatic diseases as well as on social and mental factors are particularly highlighted, as the latter may also contribute to these diseases. Only a few studies have examined the effects of contact between adult people, who are not pet owners themselves, with dogs in the work environment; so there is clearly a need for further research.