The Editor takes a closer look at some of this month's articles

Abstract

Clinical & Experimental AllergyVolume 44, Issue 11 p. 1295-1295 Editor's ChoiceFree Access The Editor takes a closer look at some of this month's articles First published: 21 October 2014 https://doi.org/10.1111/cea.12431AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Eosinophils and atopic dermatitis: a direct link with infection Eosinophilic inflammation is a hallmark of the Th2 responses that underpin allergic disease. There is increasing interest in the importance of the microbiota, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and its toxins in driving allergic inflammation. However, there is relatively little information on the mechanisms by which this might occur although a recent study demonstrated that the δ toxin induced mast cell degranulation 1. Fleminger and colleagues (pp. 1335–1346) help to fill this gap by demonstrating that S. aureus exotoxins can interact with eosinophils via CD48, a member of the CD2 family. Interactions via this receptor mediated eosinophil activation and signal transduction. The authors propose CD48 as a potential therapeutic target for atopic dermatitis. Francesca Levi-Schaffer (a) Confocal microscopy of human eosinophils incubated with SA fixed and stained with DAPI (x630; magnification, zoom 2, Zeiss). Bold arrows indicate SA adherent to the eosinophil surface. Thin arrows indicate the internalized bacteria. (b) Human eosinophils incubated with isotype Ab and FITC-labelled SA. (c) CD48 blocked human eosinophils incubated with FITC-labelled SA, exhibiting EETs. [see figure 2a, b, c, in Y. Minai-Fleminger et al. (pp.1335–1346)]. Resolution of airway inflammation: is it down to gamma-delta (γδ) T cells? The mechanisms involved in the resolution of allergic airway inflammation are relatively understudied compared with studies into the cause of the inflammatory response. γδT have previously been shown to downregulate acute inflammatory responses in the lung. In this issue, Murdoch and colleagues (pp. 1386–1398) have studied the role of γδT in remodelling caused by chronic inflammatory responses in mice in a house dust mite model of asthma. They demonstrated that blockade of γδT exacerbated the inflammatory response and led to a greater degree of remodelling changes. The next step is elucidation of the exact mechanism involved to see whether this can be manipulated for therapeutic gain. Jenna Murdoch Sirius red-stained lung sections demonstrating peribronchiolar collagen deposition from Alum and OVA-treated mice treated with either anti-γδTCR or the Ig control antibody, original magnification 40x. [see figure 2d in J. Murdoch et al. (pp. 1386–1398)]. Wheat allergy: distinguishing IgE sensitization from disease Wheat allergy is common, but as with all food allergies IgE sensitization either by skin prick or in vitro testing is relatively non-specific so that food challenge is often necessary to make a clear diagnosis. Mäkelä et al. (pp. 1420–1430) confirmed this observation by showing that while 93% of children suspected of wheat allergy who had an immediate reaction to eating wheat had specific IgE to wheat, so did 43% of children who had no reaction. They then explored in detail whether IgE against one or more of the many allergenic components of wheat would be more informative 2. They identified five components of wheat including alpha amylase inhibitors as giving greater specificity than whole wheat extract, but none of the components were sufficiently specific or sensitive to be useful diagnostically. The diagnosis of wheat allergy remains ‘challenging’. Mika Mäkelä A wheat field. [Photo credit: Bluemoose; Wikimedia Commons]. References 1Nakamura Y, Oscherwitz J, Cease KB et al. Staphylococcus delta-toxin induces allergic skin disease by activating mast cells. Nature 2013; 503: 397– 401. 2Pahr S, Constantin C, Mari A et al. Molecular characterization of wheat allergens specifically recognized by patients suffering from wheat-induced respiratory allergy. Clin Exp Allergy 2012; 42: 597– 609. Caption to cover illustration: The regulatory role of the airway epithelium. (See figure 2 of M. Loxham et al. pp. 1299–1313). This logo highlights the Editor's Choice articles on the cover and the first page of each of the articles. Volume44, Issue11November 2014Pages 1295-1295 ReferencesRelatedInformation