Genetic marker for painful food allergy makes way for improved diagnosis and treatment

Researchers have identified a genetic signature for a severe, often painful food allergy -- eosinophilic esophagitis -- that could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment for children unable to eat a wide variety of foods. The scientists, from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, report that they have pinpointed a dysregulated microRNA signature for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a disease that also may cause weight loss, vomiting, heartburn and swallowing difficulties. Interestingly, the dysregulated microRNA was reversible with steroid treatment, according to the study's senior investigator, Marc E. Rothenberg. MicroRNAs are short segments of RNA that can regulate whether genetic messengers (mRNAs) are degraded or translated into protein. "The identification of biomarkers specific to EoE is a significant advancement for both the diagnosis and treatment of the disease," explains Rothenberg.