Could exposure to dogs mitigate eczema risk in some children?
New findings could point to an unexpected strategy to reduce the genetic risk of eczema.
In a study published in Allergy, researchers examined the relationships between 24 genetic variants linked to eczema and 18 early-life environmental exposures such as cats and dogs, tobacco smoke, antibiotics, cleaning products and breastfeeding.
One genetic variant was found to increase the risk of eczema only among participants who hadn’t been exposed to dogs in their infancy. Further, human keratinocytes exposed to dog epithelial extract in a laboratory setting demonstrated dampened inflammatory skin responses. None of the other allergens elicited consistent interactions with genetic variants.
The results of the study indicated that early-life exposure to dogs could help reduce the genetic risk of eczema. Nonetheless, future studies will be needed to validate the findings and better elucidate how environmental exposures can modify these risks.
Read more: Allergy
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