Cracking the shell: How a UCLA nanoparticle takes aim at peanut allergies

Is UCLA close to ending peanut allergies? Dr. André Nel thinks so. The distinguished professor of medicine and director of research at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA is leading a team that developed a nanoparticle capable of preventing - and even reversing - peanut allergies in mice.

The technology - recently featured in a Scientific American cover story on the search for peanut allergy therapies - delivers nanoparticles directly to specific liver cells, where they help reprogram the immune system to tolerate peanut proteins. In tests, the nanoparticles not only reduced severe symptoms - they were also able to stop allergies from developing altogether.

All of which is potentially good news for the 1 in 50 children currently affected by peanut allergies, which have seen a sharp uptick in prevalence in recent years and are one of the nation's fastest-growing medical concerns. The most severe cases can lead to a potentially deadly immune reaction called anaphylactic shock, which can block the airways and trigger cardiac arrest.

Since the 2023 publication of Nel's breakthrough study - which has been widely cited and led to the launch of a startup based on the technology - his team has expanded its focus to other conditions, from egg allergies to diabetes.

"We can also achieve success in preventing type 1 diabetes in an animal model," he said. "We've also seen that it's possible to treat a mixed food allergy in the mouse model, where we combined peanut allergen with an egg protein."