Signal Transduction Inhibitors Of Allergic Reactions

Allergic reactions affect nearly 40 million persons in the United States. Allergic reactions are due to a sequential interaction beginning with the extracellular aggregation of the high affinity receptor for IgE (FcepsilonRI) followed by intracellular tyrosine phosphorylation which initiates a further cascade of events eventually leading to histamine and cytokine release. The reaction is initiated by Lyn kinase which is pre-associated with the FcepsilonRI. It was shown that the introduction of a unique portion of the N-terminal region of Lyn A kinase into cells inhibits the receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in a dose and time-dependent manner. Without receptor phosphorylation, allergic reactions can not occur. The NIH is looking for a company to license and independently develop the technology or to work in collaboration with the NIH scientists via a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to further research and develop the allergy treatment. It is believed that this technology may ultimately lead to an anti-allergy drug or allergy therapy.