A mechanism which can lead to hay fever and other allergic reactions, by preventing the immune system from regulating itself properly, has been discovered by scientists. Researchers hope their finding, published today (Thursday 27 December 2007) in the journal PLoS Biology, will allow therapies to be developed that treat allergies by stopping this mechanism.The new research shows that a gene known as GATA-3 can block the development of regulatory T-cells in the immune system by locking another gene. This gene, FOXP3, is key to regulatory T cells and when it is blocked new regulatory T cells stop being produced.
