Couch grass allergy: cellular and molecular studies directed at improved specific immunotherapy

Funded Activity Summary

Couch grass pollen is increasingly important in Australia and other temperate and subtropical regions as a seasonal allergen causing asthma and hay fever. In our allergy clinic 85% of patients with seasonal asthma and-or hay fever are allergic to both couch grass pollen and rye grass pollen. Standard allergy treatment shots usually cover the rye grass pollen allergens but there is no cross-reactivity with couch grass pollen and therefore symptoms due to couch grass pollen are not controlled. These shots are seldom used in asthmatic patients because of the risk of severe asthma or generalised allergic reactions. We plan to examine human blood cell responses to couch grass pollen allergens before and after allergy shots with a preparation that includes couch grass pollen and rye grass pollen. A comparable control group of patients receiving only drug therapy will also be investigated. This study will identify dominant sites of couch grass pollen allergen immunoreactivity and reveal mechanisms of desensitisation. Based on this information, we will develop novel couch grass pollen proteins that retain the positive features needed for a successful desensitising vaccine but without the ability to bind to allergy antibodies and possibly cause severe adverse events such as asthma attacks. These preparations could be used to provide safer and more effective allergy treatments that can be used in hay fever sufferers and asthmatics.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2002

End Date: 01-01-2004

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $406,980.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Anaesthesiology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

T cell immunotherapy | T lymphocytes | asthma and allergic disease prevention | asthma, allergic rhinitis | epitope mapping | respiratory allergy | specific allergen immunotherapy

Related Links