title: T cell responses in allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis.
abstract: Although clinical responses to allergens have been shown to primarily involve IgE antibodies, there is often no clear correlation between the amount of allergen-specific IgE present in the serum and the nature and severity of allergic symptoms. This observation raises the question of the possible role of non-IgE mediated types of immune responses in this reaction. It is not known to what extent components of T cell-mediated immunity are involved in IgE-mediated reactions but several observations suggest an association between atopic disease and alterations in cellular immune function. These include the frequent association of high serum IgE levels with: (i) several of the primary and acquired immunodeficiencies characterized by partial T cell deficiency; (ii) the defective cell-mediated immunity and resultant recurrent infections seen in the hyper-IgE syndrome; and (iii) the sudden rise in serum IgE levels associated with reduced numbers of suppressor T cells in bone marrow transplant recipients during the acute graft vs host disease. In this review, we will examine the recent evidence suggesting that the T lymphocyte may play a primary role in the pathogenesis of atopic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sustiel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rocklin
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007073:Immunoglobulin E