The concept of eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) as a food allergy seems foreign to many patients, and even physicians, since EoE does not exhibit the typical symptoms associated with allergic reactions such as hives, swelling, pruritus, wheezing or anaphylaxis. Instead, it affects only the esophagus and causes symptoms such as swallowing difficulty (especially solid foods), food impaction, refractory reflux symptoms, pain and feeding problems.

We normally do not experience allergic reactions with food because there is a mechanism in our immune system that prevents hypersensitivity reaction to foods (a.k.a. oral tolerance). In patients with EoE, trigger food proteins circumvents the oral tolerance mechanism, and causes inflammation in the esophagus. The inflammation is predominantly driven by a specific type of white blood cells known as eosinophils, hence the name eosinophilic oesophagitis. Eosinophils are recruited to the esophagus through a complex network of signaling molecules and mediators. In our review paper, we summarize the important lessons learned from animal and human studies, and dissected the roles of the key inflammatory mediators. Based on current evidence, we proposed the allergic mechanism of EoE.

Publication

变应性嗜酸性食管炎的机制。
Leung J, Beukema KR, Shen AH
Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2015 Oct

Read offline:

Related Articles:

	Antigen-expressing regulatory T cells can protect against…Our immune systems are designed to protect us from dangerous foreign invaders, like viruses, bacteria or parasites. However, sometimes we respond to usually harmless foreign materials, e.g. pollens or food,…
	The allergies go marching on: the atopic march and the…Atopic/allergic family of diseases affects >20% of the global population and encompasses allergic asthma, hay fever, food allergy, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis. Frequently, individuals with an allergic condition develop…
	Muscle pain treated with injected normal saline solutionPain comes in all shapes and sizes. Ranging from acute to chronic, from nociceptive and myofascial to neuropathic, pain is a part of life. Myofascial or muscle pain, is among…
	Murburn concept explains why oxygen is acutely needed to…Murburn concept (from “mured burning”, signifying a restricted uncontrolled oxidative process) provides a tangible rationale why oxygen is so quintessential for immediate maintenance of life-order. It postulates that oxygen-centered diffusible…
	Adverse food reactions in cats: 1000 casesWholesome nutrition is the key to maintaining a healthy immune system and resistance to disease. Commercial foods given to animals may not be truly balanced in major nutrients, minerals and…
	Adverse Drug Reactions: power, harm reduction, regulation…Patients should be checked systematically to ensure that they are not being harmed by their medication. Through case studies of prescriptions of antipsychotics to older adults in the UK, we…