Molecular, immunological and structural characterization, and modifications of plant-food and latex allergens for diagnosis, prevention and specific immunotherapy

More than 25% of the population in industrialized countries suffers from Type I allergy, an immunoglobulin E- mediated hypersensitivity disease. Allergic individuals are characterized by their inherited tendency to produce IgE antibodies against otherwise harmless antigens, termed allergens, which are present in our natural environment. The symptoms of Type I allergy, hayfever, asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and in severe cases anaphylactic shock leading to death, are caused by the recognition of allergens by IgE antibodies and the subsequent activation of cell-mediated inflammatory responses. The current research program funded by the Austrian Science Fund consists of a network of research groups mainly from the Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna. This research network represents a multidisciplinary program combining basic and clinical research groups and will therefore be able to transfer experimental results directly from the laboratory bench to patients care. The research program centers around the characterization of the disease eliciting allergens, it will study the mechanisms how allergens cause the disease and, based on the obtained knowledge, will develop preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against Type I allergy. One of the major long term visions of this research program is the development of prophylactic vaccines which should prevent the development of allergic diseases.