Millions of families live with the daily stress of food and seasonal allergies, from avoiding peanuts and shellfish to navigating pollen season. Now, early research suggests that mRNA vaccines, the same technology used during the COVID-19 pandemic, could one day prevent severe allergic reactions.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, scientists from the University of Pennsylvania and Cincinnati Children’s used a specially designed mRNA vaccine in mice. The vaccine instructed cells to produce proteins that resembled allergens, training the immune system to respond without triggering harmful reactions. When the mice were later exposed to allergens, those that had been vaccinated showed no allergic responses. Their immune systems made protective antibodies, produced fewer inflammatory proteins and avoided the airway narrowing and mucus buildup often seen in asthma.
“This is a potential breakthrough for millions of people worldwide who suffer from life-threatening allergies,” said Nobel laureate Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania, who co-led the study.
Unlike traditional allergy shots, which require months or years of repeated treatment, an mRNA-based approach could be tailored more quickly to different allergens, from pollen to peanuts. Researchers say this platform could eventually extend to food allergies, asthma and even conditions like celiac disease.
Weissman explained the potential impact for families: “Allowing people to partake in foods they were never able to eat would be incredibly rewarding, but I’ll even be happy if we can one day introduce a vaccine that allows parents to breathe just a little easier when sending their kids to class birthday parties.”
The study represents a proof of concept: the idea that mRNA vaccines can be used not only to prevent infectious diseases but also to retrain the immune system in chronic conditions. The next steps include human trials, testing safety, figuring out how many allergens could be included in a single dose and determining how long protection might last.
While this work is still in the lab, it adds to a growing body of research showing how mRNA technology may transform not just infectious disease prevention but also food and immune health in the years ahead.
This research was supported by the Food Allergy Fund and the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.