December 03, 2007	Monday	Ziqa'ad 22, 1428

HONG KONG, Dec 2: Scientists in Japan may have found a way to stop reactions such as wheezing, itching and swelling after identifying a key molecule which is crucial for the body to mount an allergic response.

They discovered the STIM1 molecule and found that when it was gone the body was no longer susceptible to allergens, the latest issue of Nature Immunology reported.

“If we can block STIM1 function, then we can block allergic reactions because STIM1 is very important for inducing allergies,” Tomohiro Kurosaki, group director of the Laboratory for Lymphocyte Differentiation at the RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology said in a telephone interview.

Some people are allergic to common allergens such as dust and pollen, although sensitivities vary from person to person and it is possible to be allergic to just about anything.

Prior studies have established that allergens cause a build-up of calcium in what are called mast cells, located near the skin -- kick-starting the process which leads to rashes, sneezing, itching and swelling.

What Kurosaki’s team found was that the concentration of calcium was dependent on the presence of STIM1. Using specially bred mice that lacked STIM1, the researchers found that they were resistant to stimuli normally capable of provoking severe allergic reactions.—Reuters