Treatment has been successfully tested in mice
Allergic reactions occur because of missing gut bacteria, and scientists are close to developing a medicine that can remedy this, according to a new report.
The good bacteria in our gastrointestinal tracts break down food and produce a chemical called butyrate. This short-chain fatty acid creates favourable conditions for the gut microbiome to thrive and maintain the gut lining, according to scientists from the University of Chicago. The research was presented August 22, 2022 at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Allergic reactions occur when the body mounts an immune response to food particles that spilled out of the gut because of a weak intestinal lining and unhealthy microbiome, the researchers explained.
So, the medical fraternity initially thought of introducing butyrate orally to maintain a healthy gut microbiome. “But butyrate has a very bad smell, like dog poop and rancid butter, and it also tastes bad. So people wouldn’t want to swallow it,” said Shijie Cao, one of the scientists in the team who presented the results at the ACS meeting.
The other problem of orally ingesting the compound was that it would be digested before reaching the lower gut, the report showed.
The researchers worked out a mechanism to mask the bad smell and taste by packing butyrate within polymeric micelles.The cloaking also helped the compound reach the lower intestinal tract when tested on mice with imbalance in gut biome or lining.
The team observed:
The treatment restored the gut’s protective barrier and microbiome, in part by increasing production of peptides that kill off harmful bacteria, which made room for butyrate-producing bacteria.
“Most importantly, dosing allergic mice with the micelles prevented a life-threatening anaphylactic response when they were exposed to peanuts,” they said.
The medicine can cover a wide range of food allergies because it isn’t antigen specific.
The treatment will now be tested on bigger animals and humans, and after approval, may be marketed in small packets, the contents of which can be mixed with water or juice and consumed.
Micelles can also help in treating inflammatory bowel diseases, the report mentions. Scientists are also exploring if it can be injected for more localised action in patients who have organ transplants or autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
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