Rjj. Van Neerven, The role of allergen-specific T cells in the allergic immune response: relevance to allergy vaccination, ALLERGY, 54(6), 1999, pp. 552-561
Recent research has elucidated many of the immunologic mechanisms that unde
rlie atopic allergies. In particular, it has become clear that the role of
CD4(+) allergen-specific T cells is crucial for the induction of IgE and eo
sinophilia, factors that mediate the immediate hypersensitivity reaction an
d late-phase responses, respectively. Therefore, the reactivity patterns an
d activation requirements of allergen-specific T cells are important parame
ters for understanding and manipulating the allergic immune response. This
review addresses these issues and discusses their relevance to the further
development of allergy vaccines.