Scratching the skin primes the gut for allergic reactions to food, mouse study suggests
Tuesday, April 23, 2019 - 13:50
in Health & Medicine
Scratching the skin triggers a series of immune responses culminating in an increased number of activated mast cells -- immune cells involved in allergic reactions -- in the small intestine, according to research conducted in mice. This newly identified skin-gut communication helps illuminate the relationship between food allergy and atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema), a disease characterized by dry, itchy skin.