What cytokines are altered during an allergic reaction?
Allergy develops if a particular cytokine is produced while an allergen enters the body and the body recognizes this foreign invader. If this cytokine, called ‘interleukin-4′ is present during such a contact, an allergic immune response is initiated. The immune system gets is right most of the time and nearly all people react against parasites and ignore allergens, but those who react in this way to an allergen develop allergy against this specific stimulus. Allergen plus INTERLEUKIN4 leads to allergy. However, INTERLEUKIN4 is not the only important cytokine in allergy. INTERLEUKIN13 is unable to shift the immune system towards allergy. In many cases INTERLEUKIN13 is even the more important cytokine, since it is produced for a longer time and to higher levels than INTERLEUKIN4. Since INTERLEUKIN4 and INTERLEUKIN13 are important for maintaining and organizing allergic immunity, an inhibitor would be expected to be therapeutically useful. A cytokine modulator, such as RECEPTOL, naturally
