The STAT6 inhibitory peptide can educate the immune system away from developing an allergic response.
Dr. Elizabeth Fixman developed STAT6-IP, a chimeric inhibitory peptide with the ability to enter cells and disrupt activity of the STAT6 transcription factor. STAT6 has been show to inhibit aberrant Th2 responses in the airways of preclinical models of respiratory syncytial virus infection (Eur J Immunol 2014) and asthma (J Immunol 2007; Clin Exp Allergy 2011; Mucosal Immunol 2015).
The latter publication by Dr. Christine McCusker received significant media attention.
This work was also selected for one of the top ten scientific breakthroughs of 2015 selected by Québec Science and Dr. Christine McCusker was nominated as the Feb 2016 Researcher of the Month by Canadians for Health Research.
View articles and interviews about this research:
- Snowy winter, sudden heat create very bad allergy season. CTV News Montreal. May 20, 2015.
- Misery is in the air for Montreal’s allergy sufferers. Montreal Gazette. by Marian Scott. May 15, 2015.
- Educating the immune system to prevent allergies. MUHC research team designs a potential vaccine against allergic airways disease. CIHR Health Research in Action. August 25, 2015
- Educating the immune system to prevent allergies. McGill News. May 14, 2015.
- Quebec Science honours RI-MUHC discovery. MUHC News. January 4, 2016.
- Une stratégie antiallergique. Québec Science. November 30, 2015.
- New Canadian research could lead to the end of allergies. Radio Canada International. By Marc Montgomery. May 19, 2015.
- Dure saison des allergies en vue. La Presse. By Ariane Lacoursière. May 15, 2015.
- L’immunothérapie, ou la désensibilisation pour éliminer les allergies. Le Devoir. By Pauline Gravel. June 13, 2015.
- New seasonal allergy treatments offer some hope. It’s been a bad spring for pollen, and don’t start us talking on ragweed! CBC News. Althea Manasan. May 25, 2015.