Thursday, January 7, 2016

Blame Our Ancient Ancestors For Our Allergies

Researchers found large numbers of people carry genes for Toll-like receptors, which play an key role in the immune system, that were inherited from Neanderthals. In the map (pictured), orange and green segments are proportional to number of people in each population with these Neanderthal and Denisovan genes

Daily Mail: Suffer from allergies? Blame Neanderthals! Genes inherited from our ancient human relatives made our immune systems 'oversensitive'

* Two studies reveal our immune systems were shaped by Neanderthal DNA
* Neanderthals are thought to have interbred with humans 50,000 years ago
* One to 6 per cent of DNA in modern Eurasians is from these early humans
* Scientists have found variants of three genes from Neanderthals that have made our immune systems more sensitive and so produce allergies

They died out around 45,000 years ago as our ancestors moved into their territory and perhaps even killed them off, but Neanderthals may have had the last laugh - by causing us to suffer from allergies.

A new genetic study has revealed the genes inherited by modern humans from Neanderthals after our species interbred 50,000 years ago play a key role in our immune system today.

While these genetic variations have increased the ability of those who have them to ward off infection, they have also left large numbers of people more prone to allergies.

Read more ....

CSN Editor: Unfortunately .... as a sufferer .... this news does not give me any comfort from the symptoms that I am suffering right now.

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