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100 years of hyposensitization: history of allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT)

  1. J. Ring1,2,
  2. J. Gutermuth1,3

Article first published online: 15 FEB 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02541.x

Issue

Allergy

Allergy

Volume 66, Issue 6, pages 713–724, June 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ring, J. and Gutermuth, J. (2011), 100 years of hyposensitization: history of allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT). Allergy, 66: 713–724. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02541.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, Technische Universität München (TUM)

  2. 2

    Christine Kühne Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK CARE)

  3. 3

    Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM), Technische Universität München/KAU Division of Allergy and Environment Helmholtz Center Munich/TUM, Munich, Germany

*Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Johannes Ring, Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, Technische Universität München, Biedersteinerstrasse 29, D-80802 Munich, Germany. Tel.: +49 89 4140 3170 Fax: +49 89 4140 3574 E-mail: Johannes.ring@lrz.tu-muenchen.de

  1. J.R. and J.G. both wrote and reviewed the manuscript. The authors have no conflicting interests.

  2. Edited by: Thomas Bieber

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 26 APR 2011
  2. Article first published online: 15 FEB 2011
  3. Accepted for publication 15 December 2010

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Keywords:

  • (recombinant) Allergen;
  • Adjuvant;
  • Allergoid;
  • Antigen-specific immunotherapy

To cite this article: Ring J, Gutermuth J. 100 years of hyposensitization: history of allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT). Allergy 2011; 66: 713–724.

Abstract

Hundred years ago, Leonhard Noon and John Freeman published their pioneering works on allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) using grass pollen extracts. To honor their contribution to the development of ASIT as the only causal treatment of IgE-mediated allergies, we review the history of ASIT that started with the anecdotal descriptions of ASIT performed by the ancient king Mithridates (132–63 B.C.) and Jenner’s development of a cowpox vaccine. Following Noon’s and Freeman’s first controlled human trials, ASIT was performed by a large number of modalities and with a myriad of pharmacologic preparations. These developments range from early aqueous pollen extracts and whole bee extracts to chemically modified allergens (allergoids) and various recombinant allergens. In addition to allergen-specific immunotherapy, non-specific immune response modifiers have been used in the past or are in the developmental stage. Also, currently many innovative experimental approaches of ASIT are studied in animal models and human in vitro systems and will hopefully further broaden the range of allergies that can be treated by ASIT, with enhanced efficacy and further reduced side-effects.

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