Alpha-Gal syndrome Trade-off between allergy and protection to infectious diseases
Tick bites are responsible for the development of Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) in humans. Resulting in severe allergies to red meat, tick bites and certain drugs, the syndrome is life threatening. Anti-α-Gal IgE antibodies induced by tick bites trigger the allergies. However, anti-α-Gal IgM antibodies induced by microbiota bacteria protect against infectious diseases. Professor José de la Fuente and Dr Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz have uncovered some of the mysteries surrounding the trade-off between AGS and protection to infectious diseases with the aim of developing new interventions to control allergies and infectious diseases.
Throughout the natural world there are countless essential interactions between hosts, vectors and pathogens. Vectors carry and transmit microorganisms that cause disease, known as pathogens, and hosts are affected by the pathogen. A common example of this process is the Lyme disease-tick-human relationship where Lyme disease caused by the pathogenic bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is carried and transmitted by the tick vector to the human host.
The tick affects humans and other animals by biting them, infecting them with pathogens. Tick saliva contains both toxic and pharmacologically active substances which can trigger inflammatory reactions. Environmental factors and increasing levels of human outdoor activities have resulted in greater levels of contact between humans and ticks, and a consequent rise in tick-borne diseases.
A tick bite can transmit deadly pathogens, but you might be surprised to hear that these tick bites can also help us understand protective immunity to infectious diseases. Professor José de la Fuente of the Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, Spain, and Dr Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz of INRA, France, are experts in host-vector-pathogen interactions and their groups are working to develop therapeutic or preventive interventions for the control of allergic and infectious diseases.
