Future Technology
The AA Protein is a protein that will be able to stop the reaction to allergens that are not harmful to the body. It will prevent the symptoms from occurring by stopping the source of the symptoms. The source is anaphylatoxins which are formed because of a mistaken reaction of the body. The body often make the common mistake of believing that a harmless material (allergen) that has entered the body is harmful. It then produces anaphylatoxins due to the mistaken response.The anaphylatoxins bind to the basophil or the mast cell telling them to release histamine and other chemicals that are created there. Those chemicals then activate the allergy symptoms: stuffy/runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, and sometimes asthma. We are hoping that our protein will stop the production of anaphylatoxins when a material that is thought harmful (but is actually not) is passing through the bloodstream. Therefore, the allergic reaction is stopped at its source. The anaphylatoxins originate in the complement system which is 30 or some proteins located in the blood plasma. Anaphylatoxins come from three of these proteins called C3, C4, and C5. The C3 and C5 convertase (the restriction enzymes), and C1 s split the DNA in the proteins. This leaves C3a, C3b, C4a, C4b, C5a, and C5b. C3a, C4a, and C5a are all anaphylatoxins. The goal is to stop the convertase from splitting the DNA of the proteins. The present forms of allergy medication include antihistamines, steroids, and inhalers. Antihistamines focus on blocking histamine. Steroids focus on reducing inflammation and mucus content of the airways. Inhalers also focus on reducing the inflammation of the airways. One of these prevents the histamine from causing the symptoms while the other two attempt to reduce the effect of the symptoms after histamine has done its job. The AA Protein focuses farther back on anaphylatoxins which cause the release of histamine and other chemicals. It goes as far back as stopping the production of anaphylatoxins when necessary. How does our invention stop allergic reactions ? When there is an allergen in the body our protein will recognize it. Once it does this it will tell the C3,and C5 protein's convertases, and C1s not to split the proteins forming anaphylatoxins. Also, present allergy medications enter the body differently than the AA Protein will. They are taken as man-made medicines in the form of pills, nasal sprays, and inhalers. Scientists are also presently working on an allergy vaccine. These present medications are not always good for your body. For example, some people have to take steroids for further symptom relief. Steroids are not harmful if they are used for short term purposes, but if they are used over a long period of time, they will most likely become harmful in some way. Our protein will be introduced to the body in a different way. The gene (for the protein) that will be made outside of the body will be inserted into a retrovirus. A retrovirus is a type of virus used in gene therapy. It uses manipulated RNA to carry a copy of a gene and integrate it into the DNA of a cell. It has been proven to work successfully without harming the cell. That is what will happen to our gene. After it is integrated, the nucleus will make a copy of this new DNA and will have the protein made. We are coming at a more natural approach where the protein is still half man made, but the body naturally does part of the job for us. In addition to the gene that codes for this protein, the retrovirus will be carrying another gene, one that codes for a regulator protein. This protein is able to regulate gene expression. Some allergies are genetically originated, and to stop them, we must turn off the genes that cause these allergies. The genes targeted, according to some studies, would be a within the cytokine gene cluster on chromosome five ( some are interleukins negative 3, negative 5, negative 9, and negative 13 and negative 4) chromosome eleven( the beta chain of IgE receptor), chromosome twelve (stem cell factor, interferon-gamma, insulin growth factor, and Stat 6 [ IL-4 Stat] and chromosome sixteen (IL - 4 receptor.).