Grant: Fellowship - Priority Announcement: Knowledge Translation

Peanut allergy can be a severe and life-threatening disease. Peanuts and peanut derivatives are ubiquitous; peanut derivatives are not only present in food, but also in cosmetics, skin care products and even medication. Prevalence of allergy in the general population may be increasing, and despite education and preventative measures, accidental peanut ingestions and use of epinephrine are still common. Much of the research in peanut allergy has focused primarily on natural history, diagnosis, and management of this disease. It is well known that allergic tendencies including asthma, eczema, and hayfever (allergic rhinitis) run in families, and that the prevalence of peanut allergy is increased in siblings and twins. Our current project is investigating mutations in a gene encoding a protein called filaggrin. A mutation in the gene, leading to a loss of its function, has been found in approximately half of studied cases of atopic eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis), and is involved in normal development and function of the skin. People with defects in one or two copies of the gene for this protein often have dry skin, eczema, and also allergies to food and aeroallergens. This gene is a strong area of interest in peanut allergy and other food allergies, as people affected by peanut allergy often have eczema. A defect in the skin barrier could potentially allow large protein molecules, such as the peanut allergen, to penetrate and cause the immune system to become sensitized.