A key feature of the severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis is an abrupt drop in blood pressure and body temperature, causing people to faint and, if untreated, potentially die.
That response has long been attributed to a sudden dilation and leakage of blood vessels. But in a study using mice, MGM's Soman Abraham and colleagues have found that this response, especially body temperature drop, requires an additional mechanism – the nervous system.
Appearing online March 17 in the journal Science Immunology, the study could point to new targets for therapies to prevent or treat anaphylactic shock, which occurs in up to 5% of people in the U.S. annually in response to food allergies or bites from insects or venomous animals.
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