Grace Kirby Distinguished Professor of Pathology Soman Abraham, PhD, was an invited speaker at the 13th Biennial Congress of the International Eosinophil Society (IES), held from July 7–11, 2025, in Montpellier, France. He participated in a special session focused on recent discoveries about immune cells called mast cells, which often function in concert with eosinophils—a special type of protective white blood cell—in immune responses. He shared research from his lab that helps explain why food allergies may lead to life-threatening reactions.
In his presentation, Abraham outlined groundbreaking findings from his laboratory related to mast cells located in endotoxin-rich environments, such as the gut, that have high levels of harmful substances released by bacteria. They found that upon activation, those mast cells can shuttle rapidly the potent proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β into mast cell granules, which then are released explosively.
When IL-1β is extracellulary released in combination with other proinflammatory mediators typically found within mast cell granules, a markedly amplified inflammatory response is evidenced. Using allergy mouse models, Abraham showed that when these mast cells are “primed” by endotoxins and then encounter allergens, they trigger a vigorous, fatal anaphylactic reaction in mice.
These findings offer a compelling explanation for the potentially life-threatening nature of food allergies. Mast cells in the gut, which are routinely exposed to endotoxins, may release large quantities of IL-1β when activated by food allergens, dramatically amplifying the inflammatory response.
Explore the Abraham Lab’s research interests and work here.
In addition to his teaching and research, Abraham is director of graduate studies for Duke’s Graduate Program in Pathobiology and Translational Biosciences, which was established in the early 1960s with the goal of training investigators to understand and solve fundamental problems in experimental pathology.