Scientists identify allergy-causing gene

EDINBURGH, Scotland, July 10 (UPI) -- The discovery of a mutant gene that doubles the risk of allergies could lead to therapies that would prevent severe cases of asthma, Scottish scientists said.

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh say mutations in the filaggrin gene dramatically increase the risk of asthma, hay fever, severe dermatitis and eczema, The Telegraph reported Friday.

"Our finding suggests filaggrin is a robust biomarker for allergic conditions," Aziz Sheikh, a health scientist at the university, said in a story published in the British Medical Journal.

Manipulating the gene mutations could lead to therapies that would prevent the immune system from overreacting to allergic conditions, Sheikh said.

Allergic responses occur when the immune system wrongly identifies allergens such as dust mites, pollen, or cat hair, for example, as dangerous. The immune system then releases histamine in the body, which causes itching, wheezing, and sneezing but can also prove fatal in serious cases.

More than 10 percent of Britain's population carries mutant filaggrin genes, Sheikh and his team said.