Attention silverkun -

[kyburg]

In the research, reported in the April issue of Nature Medicine, they found that mice treated with a newly developed part-cat, part-human protein did not develop an allergic reaction.

Andrew Saxon, of the University of California in Los Angeles, said in The Guardian newspaper that the technique could be extended to develop cures for potentially deadly allergies to food such as nuts.

The allergic attacks occur when the immune system mistakes cat or pollen allergens for germs, producing large amounts of an antibody which triggers the release of a chemical called histamine. This causes symptoms such as inflammation, rashes and swelling.

I like fact they started with cat dander/spit allergies - with an eye towards peanut allergies. I love peanut butter, but for mostlyhere, for example, it's the "spread of death" - he's so allergic to the stuff, he can't be on the same floor of cubicles as a PBJ, for example.

And if you Google this story, you get lots of kitty picture lurve. Bonus!

Comments

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

Although valid scientific research, I found the idea of mice allergic to cats amusing :)

Peanut allergies tend to be super extreme -- I made sure to ask Alan's daycare if anyone was allergic if I wanted to send a a PBJ sandwich.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

When we heard this in the car on Sunday, deyo looked at me and suddenly pretended to be a mouse, as he was driving: [whispering]"Hey you guys, psst, a cat! Hide! Shhhh. . . ." Then he acted out mice hiding, then a mouse wrinkling its nose, sniffling, then suddenly, "Ahchoo! . . . uhoh. . . ."

I nearly wet myself giggling.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

I'm fine with PB, but weird around cats. Yours, for example... I've been over there numerous times but have only ended up triggering asthma two or three times...

And I don't think the cleanliness (or non) of your house has anything to do with it.

C.

[silvercatmon.livejournal.com]

Curing allergy to peanuts is important, but I also want to be able to pet a cat!
I would pay money!

[storvik.livejournal.com]

Combining human and cat DNA.

Anime fans are having lustful seizures at the thought.