Therapeutic approaches in allergic diseases

Allergic diseases are a group of immune-mediated disorders mainly caused by an IgE-dependent immunological reaction to an innocuous environmental antigen (allergen). According to the site of contact with the allergen, different clinical manifestations may develop in the airways, skin or gastrointestinal tract. The frequency of allergic diseases is increased over the last century. Because of their frequency and their impact on the quality of life, new therapeutic approaches for these disorders have been the object of intensive research. Thus, the past 10 years witnessed the development and evaluation of a number of drugs that target IgE, Th-2 cytokines, mast cells and eosinophils. This chapter will briefly review the strategies to treat allergic diseases, targeting the different steps of IgE hypersensitivity reactions: down-modulation of T and B responses to allergen, blocking of IgE effector function, modulation of cytokines/cytokine receptors, inhibition of mast cells and eosinophils activities