Food anaphylaxis is a potentially serious systemic allergic reaction in which mast cells play a central role. When activated after contact with an allergen, these cells quickly release inflammatory substances responsible for the main symptoms of the reaction. This process requires a large amount of energy but, until now, little was known about the mechanisms that regulate mast cell metabolism during anaphylaxis.
To solve this, the researchers combined experimental studies in different mast cell models with the analysis of patient-derived mast cells from individuals with food anaphylaxis. Using various tools, they studied how MITF modulation affects the function of mitochondria, the structures responsible for producing the cell's energy.
The results showed that MITF acted as a central regulator of mast cell mitochondrial function. When its activity decreased, mitochondrial respiration, energy production, and other functions necessary for cell activation decreased. In addition, mast cells from patients with anaphylaxis showed higher levels of MITF and a much more active metabolic status than those of healthy individuals.
Laia Ollé, IDIBAPS researcher and first author of the study, explains: “The results indicate that the mast cells of patients with food anaphylaxis present a particularly active metabolic profile guided by MITF and this hyperactivity could explain their more intense responses to the allergen.”
“Although the results do not yet have any immediate clinical application, the fact that MITF may be involved in mast cell hyperactivation could constitute a new therapeutic target that should be explored in future research,” adds study coordinator Margarita Martín.
Study of reference
Laia Ollé et al. MITF-associated metabolic signature in mast cells: A potential link to food anaphylaxis. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2026; 0
