New research from the University of Pittsburgh uncovers how inhaled house dust mites, a common trigger of allergic asthma, activate the immune system and drive this disease in mice.

The findings, published recently in Nature Immunology, offer important insights into how seemingly harmless substances such as dust mites, pet dander and pollen can overcome the immune system to trigger allergic reactions and could eventually pave the way for identifying new therapeutics to treat and manage allergic asthma.