HAPTENS

Ever wonder why you still react or have an immune response - even though you’ve taken all the precautions you could?? Leaving you wondering what 'possibly' could have triggered you?

Haptens are a cause of food intolerance, chemical sensitivity, skin sensitivity, and can cause autoimmunity. They can be ingested, inhaled, or enter the body through skin contact.

Those of us that are chemically sensitive can have reactions from something as simple as breathing, eating, or being in contact, or in proximity, to them. Its why we can be in or near a room filled with a scent or chemical of some kind (whether we can smell it or not), and even if we’re using all of our protections (short of a biohazard suit ) we still get sick or react to it.

Strangely enough, I haven't seen much chatter on the subject. This is crucial information for folks trying to improve their health - we need to know what they are so we can do our best to avoid them in order to preserve and improve our health

So lets find out what’s hapten’n with Haptens!! (Ha! See what I did there?)

There are few natural haptens - like poison ivy, penicillin, etc… but haptens didn’t really become a huge issue until the industrial revolution when we started to manufacture and create our own chemicals.

Now, in todays world, we are surrounded by synthetic, man made chemicals and its changed our environment, how we live, and they have even impacted our health. It has given rise to allergies, chemical sensitivities, chronic illnesses, and autoimmune disorders.

So, what is a hapten??

They were discovered by Paul Erlich, a german bacteriologist and immunologist (1854-1914) who also discovered the mast cell.

A hapten is a tiny molecule that binds with other compounds such as protein (most common), but also some carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acid. (The key word I would like you to remember is "Protein.")

A hapten is incapable of acting as an antigen alone, but when it successfully finds a larger carrier to bind itself to, it will stimulate the production of antibodies.

Now you can have haptens be called “antigenic but not immunogenic”.

(Ag = antigen)

Haptens alone can not activate the helper T cells. They can not activate them because they can not bind to a type of protein called a Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC).

What is a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)?? It’s a group of genes that codes for proteins found on the surface of cells that help the immune system recognize FRIEND OR FOE.

"Intruders!! Get Them!!"

On the other hand, haptens can activate the B cells if they’re connected to a carrier protein and create an immune response.

So basically, a Hapten is an incomplete antigen until its binded to a carrier molecule like protein. A hapten connected to a carrier molecule can cause an immune response. If a hapten is by itself, and not connected to anything, it could present more like an allergic type reactions unless you have become sensitized to them.

TYPES OF HAPTENS

There are tens of thousands of different types of Haptens so its impossible to list them all. But I tried to put together a list of the ones that I believe we run into the most, and have the most impact on our daily lives and health.

Vitamins- like biotin, fluroecein, digoxigenin, and dinitrophenol

FRAGRANCE - perfumes, scent deodorizers, candles, and essential oils. These items can actually change your hormones and change your sensitivities permanently.

Pollution

Toxins

Pesticides, Insecticides, Fungicides, and Organophosphates (alcohol production)

Chemicals (like formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene, phthalates etc)

Additives – Citric Acid, Benzoates, Disulphides, Sulphates, Sulfur dioxide, sulphites, aspartame, artificial colors, MSG, disodium EDTA, xanthum gum

Plant Toxins – poison ivy (urushiol), essential oils like cinnamon, and tea tree

Antibiotics- (beta-lactams -like penicillin)

Drugs- Apresoline, Pembrolizumab, Nivolumab (etc),. These drugs inhibit T cell immune tolerant conditions and can cause hapten induced autoimmunity.

Dyes- Red No 1. and red no.6 in food and in hair color.

Estrogenics- certain ones like BPA (bisphenol-A), and Octachlorostyrene (from PVC)

Milk Formula- as well as casein and lactose

Fungal biproducts- like Candida

Hormones – Estrogen, digoxigenin

Metals- oxidized cobalt, gold, mercury, nickel

Mycotoxins (in fish)

Oxidized fish oil

Nanoparticles/nanomaterials

Sugar Alcohols

Synthetic peptides

VOC’s may act as haptens and send signals to activate the immune system.

HAPTEN SIDE EFFECTS

Over exposure to haptens can cause other types of symptoms and illnesses such as the following:

Disrupts the Microbiome

IBS/IBD Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome

Alcohol Intolerance- acetaldehyde

Depression and Anhedonia (inability to feel pressure)

Antibiotic Induced Allergy

Arthritis

Vision loss / Vision changes – age related macular degeneration and vision changes due to inflammation

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Cancer

Decreases UV Sun Protection

Change in Neurotransmission- (via Mannich reaction) - haptens can be made to bind to neurotransmitters and biogenic amines such as tryptamine, serotonin, 5‐hydroxy‐indole acetic acid (5-HIAA), melatonin, tyramine, dopamine, dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid (DOPAC), norepinephrine, glycine, glutamate, glutamine, and GABA.

Dampened Immune System- Haptens may also block immune response and cause the immune system not to respond to foreign invaders.

Liver Failure

Vitiligo (loss of pigment in your skin)- from the destruction of the melanocytes.

Continuous bombardment of haptens, can cause a specific type of hapten sensitivity. The immune system can become sensitized for a particular class of haptens and it no longer needs to be binded to a protein (or other carrier molecule) to cause an immune reaction.

Below is a chart of the different classes of Haptens.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HAPTEN SENSITIZATION

Aggression and Hyperactivity (like ADD symptoms)- from swelling in the central nervous system. (This is a Big one!)

Asthma

Blood Pressure Drops

Drug Induced Allergies

Chemical Sensitivities

Environmental Intolerances

Histamine Issues

Migraines

Tachycardia

Urticaria

Atopic Dermatitis

Feeling Hot or Cold in opposite weather conditions. Ie Hot in freezing cold, or Cold in extremely warm conditions.

Skin Hyperemia (excessive blood in vessels)

Usually, in a healthy individual haptens do not usually cause an immune response; because 90% of haptens are dextoxed from our bodies and only about 10% of the haptens bind to a protein in order to induce an immune response.

Of course this process can be hampered, or drastically slowed down if you have the MTHFR gene mutation.

Since haptens are so small they can get into the body through the skin extremely easily. This is why even if you take all the necessary precautions (like a mask) you can still react and become very sick. They are notorious for causing skin contact sensitivity and causing urticaria.

Multiple hapten exposure along with STRESS (as well as poor sleep habits and poor diet) can lead to the breakdown of immune tolerance to dietary proteins and peptides. The process isn’t ‘exactly’ understood yet and medical researchers are looking into it, but it may be because when haptens bind to our personal proteins or our food proteins; they can open tight junctions and create an immune response. (as illustrated above. However because they are so small they can bipass the skin easily and get into the blood stream as well.)

Primary example – you know how leaky gut or some type of gut dysbiosis can increases your allergic or immune responses? Its because food particles can leak into your blood stream and Haptens can essentially do the exact same thing. They can get through those tight tissue junctions of the intestinal wall and leak directly into the blood stream. Just like leaky gut when the food enters the blood stream, it elicits an immune response because there are foreign objects in your blood.

- Haptens are also a common component of problems after antibiotic usage.

- Haptens can also increase food allergies or intolerances. Very similar to lectins (which many of us are sensitive too), they are able to induce allergic reactions due to their similarity to protein bound sugars. The haptens compete directly with lectins for binding to glycans. They can also create a much more complex molecule if it also bonds with lectins like potato or pea protein.

-Haptens can affect the T cells, the helper T cells, and the T regulatory cells. Losing your T regulatory cells can make all of this worse and predispose you to further hapten sensitivity. T regulatory cells directly help and work to prevent autoimmune disease by maintaining self-tolerance. It suppresses allergy and asthma, intolerance against dietary antigens.

- Haptens are part of the reason why some folks have more histamine intolerance and mast cell issues. Too much histamine or haptens = mast cell attack.

- Haptens can also increase Suppressor of Cytokine Signals 3 (SOCS3), thus promoting type 2 T-cell dominance in the skin.

Histamine isn’t the only culprit in our allergic or immune responses that we need to be careful of- so is protein due to hapten binding to the molecules.

ARE THERE ANY UPSIDES TO HAPTENS?

Cancer: Haptens can be very beneficial for skin related cancer fighting drugs, and chemotherapy drugs bind with folate-hapten-targeted immunotherapy to reduce tumor growth.

Vaccines: Haptens can create a higher IgG response which can be very beneficial for creating effective vaccines and may also help cross the blood brain barrier.

Some haptens like Vitmain D and thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) can have beneficial properties to keep the body at homeostasis. Fat soluable haptens (like vitamin D) can get into cells much quicker and easier.

HOW DO WE FIX OUR HAPTEN ISSUE?

In life there are things we CAN control, and things we CANT control.

And unfortunately, In this case- it’s no different. You want to avoid as much exposure to haptens as you possibly can by switching your home and yard to natural cleaners, pesticides, etc and use natural products, and avoid scents. You’ll want to go back to a whole foods diet and avoid anything that’s been processed.

Some folks have difficulty switching their diets and its important to note that sometimes when switching from a typical western diet to a whole foods diet -there is a period of adjustment. You’re body isn’t used to it and can make you feel worse before you feel better. But if you stick with it – it’ll be worth it in the end.

You’ll want to avoid anything that can cause a gut dysbiosis, such as glyphosate, antibiotics, etc as they can create worsening leaky gut and causing autoimmunity and food intolerance.

If you have a leaky gut, you'll want to heal your gut.

Avoid anything that can decrease your immune tolerance as those with compromised immune tolerance are more likely to be sensitive to haptens.

Proper Redox can help as well. This process in which one substance or molecule is reduced and another is oxidized. Oxidation and reduction are considered to be complimentary to each other. The NRF2 is a protein that regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins that protect you against oxidative damaged triggered by injury or inflammation. Any dysfunction in the NRF2 can allow haptens to cause problems with antioxidant status. The following link can help you to better understand Redox and help you to understand how it works and how to use that info to help hack your biochemistry.

Copy Paste the following link in your browser:

https://jackkruse.com/redox-rx/

You will find a plethora of herbal recommendations to help with haptens, allergies etc. However, due to the fact that livers are the hardest hit by medications, certain medical conditions, etc; its far better to get as much of the herbs in your diet as you can - versus taking capsules.

Why?

You’re entire volume of blood goes through your liver 3x an hour. So its incredibly efficient at pulling toxins out of your blood, and those toxins can collect and get stuck in the liver. Adding additional herbals can create quite a problem with toxicity, increasing the chances of harming your liver, increasing your sensitivity 10 fold, opening you up for further illness, and put you in a harmful cycle that can be extremely hard to get out of. So it is best for you to get all the dietary nutrients, herbs, etc directly from whole foods to help protect your liver and improve your health.

Healing your gut, getting plenty of sleep, exercise (Tai Chi, QiGong,Yoga etc), meditation (stress reduction), and hapten avoidance is the best "medicine" for healing. You're hapten sensitivity can be drastically improved with the betterment of overall health.

Love and Light,

Happy Healing

References:

https://www.creative-diagnostics.com/blog/index.php/immunogen-antigen-hapten-epitope-and-adjuvant/

https://link.springer.com/protocol/10.1007/978-1-59745-366-0_14?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_brand_PID8161033&utm_content=de_textlink

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/892d/4b51a81b5b398881d3a25ad42666fec095a8.pdf

Methods in Molecular Medicine book series (MIMM, volume 138)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapten

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1586/1744666X.2014.972943?src=recsys&journalCode=ierm20&

https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P1022

https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(54)00064-4/pdf

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2014/175265/

https://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/16/3/461

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2014/175265/tab1/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784904/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2014/175265/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25302741

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6b00055

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23535360