UCLA researchers have developed a nanoparticle that could prevent or reverse peanut allergies, according to Dr. André Nel, a professor of medicine and director of research at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA. The new technology was recently highlighted in a Scientific American cover story focused on therapies for peanut allergies.
The nanoparticles are designed to target specific liver cells and help reprogram the immune system to tolerate peanut proteins. In animal tests, these nanoparticles reduced severe allergic symptoms and prevented the development of peanut allergies.
Peanut allergies affect about 1 in 50 children in the United States, with rates increasing in recent years. Severe cases can result in anaphylactic shock, which may block airways and cause cardiac arrest.
Dr. Nel’s study was published in 2023 and has since been widely cited. It also led to the creation of a startup company based on this technology. His team is now exploring applications for other conditions, including egg allergies and diabetes.
“We can also achieve success in preventing type 1 diabetes in an animal model,” said Dr. Nel. “We’ve also seen that it’s possible to treat a mixed food allergy in the mouse model, where we combined peanut allergen with an egg protein.”
