Mesoporous silica nanoparticles and their use in the diagnosis of allergies

In vitro detection of immunoglobulins in serum is currently a strategy used for the diagnosis of a multitude of pathologies, from infectious diseases to autoimmune and allergic diseases. The general objective of these techniques is the detection of specific antibodies for a given antigen. The advantage of the in vitro technique over in vivo methods is a lower economic cost and avoiding the risk of hypersensitivity reactions in patients. Most of these in vitro allergy diagnostic techniques are based on the detection of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE). However, the amount of IgE present in serum is very low and may fall below the detection limits of the technique. One of the main problems that limits the sensitivity of this technique is the high amount of IgG in serum compared to IgE, because IgG competes with IgE. Another problem caused by IgG is the generation of false positives. As a solution to this problem, this invention allows for pre-treatment of samples that isolate IgG, which allows for better sensitivity for IgE in the in vitro detection of immunoglobulins.

Competitive advantages

• It allows for improved sensitivity in in vitro detection tests that depend on IgE. • It saves costs and risks compared to in vivo diagnostic methods.

Uses and applications

The application of the invention in the field of clinical practice, specifically in the diagnosis of allergies. The in vitro detection of immunoglobulins in serum is a widely used strategy for the diagnosis of a large number of pathologies. Most of these techniques are based on the detection of immunoglobulin E (IgE), however, for certain types of allergy, since the amount of IgE in serum is very low, it is necessary to resort to in vivo diagnostic methods that imply greater cost and risk for the patient. The present invention solves this problem, since it allows for the in vitro diagnosis of allergies, since improved results are obtained in the uptake of immunoglobulins.