[url="http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060731/full/060731-6.html"]http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060731/full/060731-6.html[/url]
Mice saved from lethal allergic reaction
Protein discovery reveals mechanism of anaphylactic shock.
Richard Van Noorden
Anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening reaction to apparently innocent substances.
For some people, it just takes a taste of peanut to induce a sudden and possibly fatal allergic reaction. Now researchers have unpicked the mechanism behind this anaphylactic shock, and have managed to protect mice against the condition.
Anaphylactic shock is estimated to affect up to 15% of the US population. It can be triggered by a wide array of allergens, including bee stings, latex, medications and certain foods (such as peanuts or shellfish). Those struck have trouble breathing, find their face, neck and throat swelling up, and may eventually lose consciousness as their blood pressure drops
This is EXCELLENT!
I know since it's done in mice and it wasn't an ingestion of an allergen that sent them into anaphylaxis, that there's a chance that this will not work in humans.
But if it DOES, from what this sounds like, it's plausable in the future that we may be able to take a pill every day that inhibits the nitrous oxide so we wouldn't have the ability to go into anaphylaxis. That'd be great...hello may contains [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img]
Not to sound like a downer here, but eNOS is necessary for normal cardiotonic function.... not a good idea to suppress it long term. And probably not possible, since I suspect it would up-regulate itself. But if it didn't, you could easily see this leading to hypertension and subsequent liver, kidney and heart problems.
Besides, this still doesn't treat the other part of the cascade which results in airway constriction.
But I agree that this is FANTASTIC since it provides proof of concept regarding cardiac shock without airway involvement-- and many of these cases are fatalities currently, since first responders often don't understand that someone can die from anaphylaxis via sudden cardiac arrest alone. This is that mechanism-- and if it leads to a better protocol for evaluating someone who presents with anaphylaxis, it could definitely save a lot of lives.
Quote:Originally posted by Corvallis Mom:
[b]Not to sound like a downer here, but eNOS is necessary for normal cardiotonic function.... not a good idea to suppress it long term. [/b]
darn. oh well. still good they're getting a handle on all this though.
ETA: well, wait. It says it releases a small amount. I know it'd probably be more trouble than it's worth, but theoretically, could you supress the eNOS and then, through a pill or inhaler or whatever yet to be invented, take in the amount of nitrous oxide you need to avoid the complications? Or does eNOS do other important things as well?
[This message has been edited by starlight (edited August 02, 2006).]
This is EXCELLENT!
I know since it's done in mice and it wasn't an ingestion of an allergen that sent them into anaphylaxis, that there's a chance that this will not work in humans.
But if it DOES, from what this sounds like, it's plausable in the future that we may be able to take a pill every day that inhibits the nitrous oxide so we wouldn't have the ability to go into anaphylaxis. That'd be great...hello may contains [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img]
Not to sound like a downer here, but eNOS is necessary for normal cardiotonic function.... not a good idea to suppress it long term. And probably not possible, since I suspect it would up-regulate itself. But if it didn't, you could easily see this leading to hypertension and subsequent liver, kidney and heart problems.
Besides, this still doesn't treat the other part of the cascade which results in airway constriction.
But I agree that this is FANTASTIC since it provides proof of concept regarding cardiac shock without airway involvement-- and many of these cases are fatalities currently, since first responders often don't understand that someone can die from anaphylaxis via sudden cardiac arrest alone. This is that mechanism-- and if it leads to a better protocol for evaluating someone who presents with anaphylaxis, it could definitely save a lot of lives.
Quote:Originally posted by Corvallis Mom:
[b]Not to sound like a downer here, but eNOS is necessary for normal cardiotonic function.... not a good idea to suppress it long term. [/b]
darn. oh well. still good they're getting a handle on all this though.
ETA: well, wait. It says it releases a small amount. I know it'd probably be more trouble than it's worth, but theoretically, could you supress the eNOS and then, through a pill or inhaler or whatever yet to be invented, take in the amount of nitrous oxide you need to avoid the complications? Or does eNOS do other important things as well?
[This message has been edited by starlight (edited August 02, 2006).]