New genetic clue to peanut allergy

New genetic clue to peanut allergy

AllerGen researchers have pinpointed a new gene associated with peanut allergy.

The gene, c11orf30/EMSY, is already known to play a role in other allergy-related conditions, such as eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis. This study is the first to associate the gene with food allergy.

Drs Denise Daley (The University of British Columbia) and Ann Clarke (University of Calgary) led the research, and Drs Yuka Asai (Queen’s University) and Aida Eslami (The University of British Columbia) were co-first authors on the paper published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

“Food allergy is the result of both genetic and environmental factors, but there are surprisingly few data regarding the genetic basis of this condition,” says Dr. Daley. “The discovery of this genetic link gives us a fuller picture of the causes of food allergies, and this could eventually help doctors identify children at risk.”

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