Allergy and Immunology Natural History Study

Studying patients with suspected genetic diseases with features of atopy or affecting atopic pathways, both known and novel disorders, will provide critical populations for understanding atopic pathways and mechanisms of allergic inflammation in atopic dermatitis, and atopic diseases in general. This investigation will include patients with atopic diseases and other related syndromes and both their healthy and ill family members. The goal of these studies is to advance understanding of the genetic and immunologic basis of disorders of allergic inflammation, leading to the development of improved methods for the diagnosis and management of patients with atopic diseases, immunodeficiency, and immune dysregulatory diseases. Immune dysregulation diseases comprise a group of disorders that can trigger defective or uncontrolled immune responses and are characterized by autoimmunity, episodes of recurrent autoinflammation, dysregulation of lymphocyte homeostasis, or hypersensitivity reactions. In addition to classical atopy, the investigators also use this line of research to further study other abnormalities affecting immune dysregulation. Patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis are also of interest.

The continued dissection of the genetic and biochemical bases of known and, as yet, undiscovered defects will have an impact beyond the mast cell and will contribute to the development of new therapies. This investigation will include patients with these and other related syndromes and both their healthy and ill family members. Moreover, these studies will continue to provide a wealth of information about the regulation of allergy and mast cell homeostasis in normal individuals. Research into these fundamental processes will help provide an understanding of how conditions of immediate hypersensitivity and cancers generally arise, and could lead to new preventative measures, diagnostic tests, treatments, or cures for these conditions.

The investigators propose to evaluate subjects who may have, or are suspected of having, inherited diseases of allergic inflammation or Immune Dysregulation which may include the following diseases:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Anaphylaxis
• Allergy
• Asthma
• Atopic dermatitis
• Allergic rhinitis
• Food allergy
• Immunodeficiency diseases
• Immunodysregulatory diseases
• Piebaldism
• Urticaria/angioedema

Inclusion criteria

• Subjects, ages birth to 99 years old, known to have or suspected of having an inherited disorder of allergic inflammation, or mast cell homeostasis, or activation or immune dysregulation.
• Blood relatives of enrolled subjects will be eligible for enrollment.
• There will be no discrimination as to age, gender, race, or disability.
• Subjects/guardians must be willing and able to give informed consent.
• Subjects must agree to have their blood stored for future studies of the immune system and/or other medical conditions.

Exclusion criteria

• The presence of an acquired abnormality of the immune system, such as cytotoxic chemotherapy or malignancy may be grounds for possible exclusion if, in the opinion of the investigator, the presence of such a disease process would interfere with evaluation.