Scientists have pointed to the connection of microbes with the formation of immunity to allergens.

Scientists from Yale University have found that early exposure to various microbes and proteins forms a broad immune memory and antibodies that help block allergic reactions in the future. This was reported by Medical Xpress magazine.

To find out what happens to the immune system in the natural environment when exposed to a large number of microbes, the scientists compared two groups of mice: one lived in conditions with a high content of microbes close to the natural environment, and the other in sterile laboratory conditions. Both groups were exposed to allergens and studied allergic reactions, antibody production, and immune cell activity.

The scientists found that mice raised in natural conditions were significantly protected from severe allergic reactions compared to laboratory ones. The rodents had a type of immune memory capable of dealing with allergens that laboratory mice had never encountered. This cross-immune memory shifts reactions from allergy-causing antibodies (IgE) to protective antibodies (IgG) that do not contribute to allergic reactions.

"Natural" mice are exposed to a wide variety of microorganisms, but they do not get sick. They represent the normal state of an animal — and a human - until about 100 years ago. Basically, we found that this normal exposure to microbes and other antigens leads to the formation of a completely different state of the immune system compared to what we observe in "pure" mice, whose system is clearly not normal," said Ruslan Medzhittov, the first author of the study, professor of immunobiology at Yale Medical School.

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The researchers also claim that too clean conditions can weaken the immune system, as it becomes less prepared for external influences. According to Medzhittov, a person is protected from dangerous microbes thanks to antibiotics, hygiene products and vaccines. However, he noted that the immune system is not prepared, so even harmless effects can cause allergies.

According to the publication, the new results indicate that exposure to allergens and the production of IgG antibodies can help treat existing allergies. These findings also highlight the role that the environment plays in activating autoimmune diseases.

Oleg Morunov, Ph.D., an assistant at the Department of Polyclinic Therapy at the Institute of Clinical Medicine of the Pirogov University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, spoke on December 22 last year about the differences between allergies to coniferous trees and colds. According to him, winter spruce can cause an allergic reaction for reasons such as mold on the bark and needles, coniferous resins with a characteristic aroma, pollen from other plants on the branches. The expert called the artificial spruce unsafe because of the plastic's ability to release volatile chemicals and accumulations of household dust and dust mites during storage.

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