Breaking down the epithelial barrier hypothesis

There’s a question that’s been circulating widely these days. It’s in the clinic, it’s in the news, and it’s on patients' minds. Why do allergies appear to be increasing? Enter the epithelial barrier hypothesis. This is a developing theory that sees a connection between the ‘atopic march’ and the breakdown of the epithelial barrier. On today’s episode we speak with Professor Cezmi Akdis. Professor Akdis is a director of the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research in Davos and professor at the University of Zurich. His research has been instrumental in the development of the epithelial barrier hypothesis. We cover: What epithelial barrier integrity looks like when it is working What epithelial dysfunction looks like Evidence for epithelial barrier breakdown Connection between epithelial barrier dysfunction and the atopic march Environmental factors common to Western societies, such as detergents, processed food and air pollution, that impact the epithelial barrier Opportunities for early intervention to repair the barrier It can seem like the sources of epithelial dysfunction are just about everywhere but the solution may begin at home. Have an idea for the show or a comment, send us a text! Visit the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Find an allergist using our helpful tool Find Dr. Hanna on X, previously Twitter, @PedsAllergyDoc or CSACI @CSACI_ca The Allergist is produced for CSACI by PodCraft Productions