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Published on: April 21, 2019
Emerging Food Allergy Biomarkers
Sarita U Patil1, Supinda Bunyavanich2, M Cecilia Berin3
1Food Allergy Center, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass; Center for Immunological and Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
Diagnosing food allergy is challenging due to a lack of predictive biomarkers. This review explores new tools like immunoglobulin measurements, basophil activation tests, and omic technologies for better food allergy diagnosis and management.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Allergy Research
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Food allergy diagnosis and management are hindered by the absence of highly predictive biomarkers.
- Current methods like food-specific IgE measurements and clinical history are imprecise predictors of reactivity.
- The double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge remains the gold standard for diagnosis and research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advancements in biomarker discovery for food allergy.
- To discuss the potential of novel diagnostic and prognostic tools.
- To highlight the utility of various 'omic' technologies in food allergy research.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on food allergy biomarkers.
- Discussion of established diagnostic methods (e.g., IgE, food challenges).
- Exploration of emerging technologies including basophil activation tests, T-cell profiling, and high-throughput 'omic' platforms (transcriptome, epigenome, microbiome, metabolome).
Main Results:
- Immunoglobulin measurements, while useful, have limitations in predicting clinical reactivity.
- Emerging biomarkers show promise for improved diagnosis and prediction of disease course.
- 'Omic' technologies offer a comprehensive approach to understanding food allergy mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Advances in immune understanding and technology are yielding promising new biomarkers for food allergy.
- Integrating multiple biomarker approaches may enhance diagnostic accuracy and disease management.
- Further research into these novel tools is crucial for clinical application in food allergy.
