Medical Hypotheses
Volume 53, Issue 1 , Pages 19-21, July 1999

Are atopic individuals genetically predisposed to produce a specific protease profile in antigen processing?

  • P.Y. Ong

      Affiliations

    • White Memorial Medical Center, 1720 Cesar E Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
    • ,
  • A.T. Hirsch

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, White Memorial Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Received 23 September 1997; accepted 15 October 1997.

Abstract 

Genetic factors play a major role in the development of allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis. Since allergic response involves immune processes such as antigen-processing and -presentation, it is conceivable that the genes involved in the regulation of these processes may be crucial in determining an individual's susceptibility to allergic diseases. In this paper, it is proposed that proteases, used in antigen-processing, are involved in the genetic predisposition to allergic diseases.

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PII: S0306-9877(97)90700-3

doi:10.1054/mehy.1997.0700

Medical Hypotheses
Volume 53, Issue 1 , Pages 19-21, July 1999

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