Tel Aviv [Israel], August 11 (ANI/TPS): Israeli scientists have discovered that blocking a specific protein may prevent a painful food allergy-related disease before it begins. Tel Aviv University announced on Monday that the finding could pave the way for targeted treatments for Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), sparing patients from severe symptoms and restrictive diets.
EoE — an inflammation of the esophagus — affects about 1 in 2,500 people. It is triggered by abnormal allergic reactions to certain foods or environmental factors, causing inflammation and tissue changes. If left untreated, scarring can narrow the esophagus, making swallowing difficult and painful, and in severe cases, the esophagus may tear. Currently, there is no cure, and management relies on dietary changes and medication.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University identified thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) as a key protein in the onset of EoE. The study, conducted at the university’s Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, found that blocking TSLP in experimental models either prevented the disease entirely or greatly reduced its severity. The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Allergy.
“Eosinophilic Esophagitis, or EoE, is a type of food allergy caused by an abnormal immune response to foods such as milk, eggs, wheat, nuts, and fish,” explained Prof. Ariel Munitz, who led the study with doctoral student Anish Dsilva. “It is characterized by an accumulation of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell not normally found in a healthy esophagus.”
Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, chest and abdominal pain, food getting stuck in the throat, and in children, growth delays. EoE is often associated with asthma and atopic dermatitis. Current treatments, such as strict elimination diets or amino acid-based formulas, have limited success.
Munitz noted that EoE cases have risen worldwide over the past decade, including in Israel. Building on earlier research that replicated human EoE symptoms, the team studied epithelial cells — the esophagus’s protective lining — which release certain substances when encountering allergens, triggering inflammation. They observed elevated levels of two proteins, IL-33 and TSLP, in their model.
Genetic experiments revealed that removing IL-33 had little impact, while removing TSLP significantly improved outcomes — in many cases preventing disease development. Antibody treatments targeting TSLP also produced marked reductions in symptoms. Bioinformatic analysis confirmed TSLP as a “key regulator” of the disease.
“These findings indicate that TSLP is central to driving EoE,” Munitz said. “Pharmaceutical companies are already developing antibodies against TSLP, and we believe these could be effective treatments for EoE.”
The research was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Chen Varol of Ichilov Hospital, Prof. Marc Rothenberg of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and AstraZeneca. If clinical trials confirm the results, neutralizing TSLP could offer a less burdensome, targeted treatment — preventing years of discomfort and strict dietary restrictions.
“EoE causes significant suffering and is becoming increasingly common worldwide,” Munitz added. “Our study offers real hope for a therapy that tackles the disease at its source.”
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