423 | id == 423
423 | category_id == 26
423 | category_order == 23
423 | category_name == Allergies
423 | category_color == #C47AC0
423 | slug == IL2-allergies
423 | title == Can This Cytokine Protect Against Allergies? (IL2)
423 | meta_description == IL2 is a broadly anti-inflammatory cytokine that increases Tregs and suppresses autoimmunity. Can it protect against allergies?
423 | summary == <p><strong><em>IL2 </em>is a broadly anti-inflammatory cytokine that increases Tregs and suppresses autoimmunity. Can it protect against allergies? Learn more here.</strong></p>
423 | overall_score_text == Your Allergy Score (based on IL2)
423 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/IL2-Allergies.jpg
423 | author_id == 1
423 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
423 | author_title == BSc, BEd
423 | author_order == 36
423 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
423 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
423 | reviewer == None
423 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
423 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
423 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
423 | publish_date == 2020
423 | publish_date == 10
423 | publish_date == 20
423 | avg_rating == 5.0
423 | tags_id == 97
423 | tags_name == Allergies
423 | tags_id == 98
423 | tags_name == Asthma
423 | tags_id == 96
423 | tags_name == Cytokines
423 | tags_id == 99
423 | tags_name == Eczema
423 | tags_id == 848
423 | tags_name == Hay Fever
423 | tags_id == 393
423 | tags_name == IL-2
423 | tags_id == 392
423 | tags_name == IL2 gene
423 | tags_id == 24
423 | tags_name == Inflammation
423 | permissions_favorite == False
423 | permissions_rate == False
423 | content_article == <h2><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes interleukin 2, a regulatory cytokine. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may play a role in allergies by reducing the production of anti-inflammatory Tregs. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effect of these variants by increasing IL-2 and Treg production.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>IL2</em></strong><strong> and Allergies</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">encodes interleukin 2 (IL-2), an inflammatory cytokine. IL-2 increases the production of memory T cells, which &ldquo;remember&rdquo; and grant immunity to previously encountered infections [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29980618"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28948612"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-2 also helps subdue the immune response and prevent autoimmunity. IL-2 prevents autoimmune inflammation by increasing Tregs (regulatory T cells) and decreasing the production of highly inflammatory Th17. Animals lacking IL-2 develop serious autoimmune conditions. As such, IL-2 is primarily anti-inflammatory [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29980618"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6100298/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-2 is considered a </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/supplements-people-th1-dominant/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Th1 cytokine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, while allergic reactions are considered part of the Th2 response. Therefore, it&rsquo;s possible that genetic variants that decrease IL-2 production could increase susceptibility to allergies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16333313"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Variants in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene have been associated with allergic diseases including asthma, eczema, and hay fever [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3753407/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes the IL-2 cytokine, which increases the production of memory T cells and Tregs. Low IL-2 production seems to be associated with allergic disease.</span></span></p> <h2><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>IL2</em></strong><strong> Results for Allergies</strong></h2> <p>*5667096634821267*</p> <p><strong>IL2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs17388568/"><strong>rs17388568</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Not associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele may decrease IL-2, leading to decreased Tregs [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs17454584/"><strong>rs17454584</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Not associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele may decrease IL-2, leading to decreased Tregs [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs148505069/"><strong>rs148505069</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Not associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele may decrease IL-2, leading to decreased Tregs [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs2069772/"><strong>rs2069772</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Not associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele may decrease IL-2, leading to decreased Tregs [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs2069763/"><strong>rs2069763</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Not associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele may decrease IL-2, leading to decreased Tregs [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL2 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs2069762/"><strong>rs2069762</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Not associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with allergies</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele may decrease IL-2, leading to decreased Tregs [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15473953/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p>*8825737233695841*</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations for Improving Allergies</strong></h2> <p>*3010160147118488*</p> <h3><strong>Acupuncture</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In one study of patients with chronic allergic rhinitis, those who underwent acupuncture treatments had significantly altered IL-2 profiles compared to those who did not. However, the IL-2 levels of both the acupuncture group and the placebo group were, on average, within the normal ranges. This result suggests that acupuncture may work better for some people than others [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12125480/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several clinical trials suggest that </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/acupuncture-benefits-mechanisms-risks/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">acupuncture</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may be a safe and valid way to improve the symptoms of allergic rhinitis [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17874980/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15154290/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15291903/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25590322/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Acupuncture may help normalize IL-2 levels and improve the symptoms of allergic rhinitis.</span></p> <h3><strong>Vitamin E</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In multiple rodent studies, increased dietary vitamin E intake increased IL-2 production. The increase was most significant in older animals [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266234/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2327029/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several studies have associated high intake of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/vitamin-e-can-help-fertility-pregnancy/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin E</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with a reduced incidence of asthma, while a diet poor in this vitamin increases the risk. Similarly, some people with asthma have lower levels of this vitamin in the blood and lungs [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7735592/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16763215/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1745426/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10731863/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10465176/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, nuts, sunflower and sesame seeds, and their respective plant oils [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956867/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Vitamin E intake may increase anti-inflammatory IL-2 production. People who get more vitamin E in their diets are less likely to develop asthma.</span></p> <h3><strong>CLA</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exposure to conjugated linoleic acids (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/conjugated-linoleic-acid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CLA</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) increased IL-2 production in cell studies. In one study of cells with artificially reduced IL-2, CLA raised IL-2 levels back to normal levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7107217/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14687725/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplementation with CLA 8 weeks before pollen season reduced sneezing and improved the overall feeling of well-being in a clinical trial of people with allergy to birch pollen [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18167173/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">CLA also reduced inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in people with allergic asthma [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20642580/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4739392/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">CLA supplementation may increase IL-2 levels and reduce the symptoms of allergies.</span></p>
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423 | content_learn_more_8825737233695841_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your IL2 gene is somewhat associated with allergic inflammation. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of allergies; it’s just one gene related to it. Acupuncture, vitamin E, and CLA may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs2069772,rs148505069,rs2069762,rs17388568,rs2069763,rs17454584
rsStatus = rs2069772,IL2,chr4,122451978,T,A,C,,15,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs148505069,,chr4,122496409,A,G,T,,7,22,HET
rsStatus = rs2069762,IL2,chr4,122456825,A,C,,,27,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs17388568,ADAD1,chr4,122408207,G,A,,,8,21,HET
rsStatus = rs2069763,IL2,chr4,122456327,C,A,G,T,4,24,HET
rsStatus = rs17454584,,chr4,122432277,A,G,,,13,11,HET
