Overview

• An international team analyzed data from nearly 300,000 people to test interactions between 24 eczema-related genetic variants and 18 early-life environmental factors
• Researchers observed that children carrying a specific IL-7R gene variant had lower rates of atopic eczema when exposed to a pet dog in infancy
• Lab modeling showed dog exposure modifies the expression of the IL-7R variant in human skin cells, suppressing inflammatory responses linked to eczema
• Experts emphasize the study did not examine effects on existing eczema and caution that introducing a dog may worsen symptoms for some children
• Published in Allergy, the findings highlight the role of gene-environment interactions in eczema development and identify IL-7R as a potential target for future prevention or treatment