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. 2014 Jun 9;2014:249784. doi: 10.1155/2014/249784

Table 1.

Roles of cellular immunity in cow's milk allergy.

Type Cell Role in cow's milk allergy
Innate cells Tissue mast cells Act as key effectors during allergy.
Upon Ig-E or Ig-fLC cross-linking with allergen, 3 classes of biologically active product are secreted [15] as follows.
(1) Prestored cytoplasmic granules:
 (a) biogenic amines (e.g., histamine),
 (b) serglycin proteoglycans (e.g., heparin and chondroitin sulphate),
 (c) serine proteases (tryptases, chymases, and carboxypeptidases),
 (d) some cytokines (e.g., TNF-α and VEGFA).
(2) Lipid-derived mediators (prostaglandins, leukotriene B4, cysteinyl leukotrienes, and platelet-activating factors).
(3) Newly synthesized factors (cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors).
Basophils Act as key effectors during allergy.
Similar to mast cells, upon cross-linkage of IgE, 3 types of mediators can be released [13] as follows.
(1) Preformed, immediately released (e.g., histamine).
(2) Newly synthesized, immediately released (phospholipid metabolites including leukotriene C4).
(3) Newly synthesized, slowly released (cytokines including IL-4).
Eosinophils Act as key effectors during allergy.
Upon activation with cytokine (e.g., IL-5), highly basic and cytotoxic granule proteins are secreted [21] as follows.
(1) Major basic protein/MBP and MBP2.
(2) Eosinophilic cationic protein/ECP.
(3) Eosinophilic peroxidase/EPX.
(4) Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin/EDN.
Inflammatory dendritic cells/DCs Act as the initiator of T H 2-cell response during allergy.
Inflammatory DCs uptake and process allergens, subsequently presenting allergen-derived peptides to naïve CD4+ T cells.
In the presence of IL-4, DCs polarizing naïve CD4+ T become TH2 cells.
Other innate cells
(neutrophils, NK, MAIT, and γδ T cells)
Unknown roles.

Adaptive cells CD4+ TH2 cells Act as the driver of allergic inflammation.
Through cell-contact and cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13), TH2 cells promote immunoglobulin class-switch recombination in B cells to drive IgE production.
CD4+ TReg cells Act as the suppressor of allergic inflammation, via [60] the following.
(1) Suppression of tissue mast cells, basophils, and eosinophils.
(2) Suppression of inflammatory DCs and induction of tolerogenic DCs.
(3) Suppression of allergen-specific TH2 cells.
(4) Early induction of IgG4 and late decrease in IgE.
B cells Act as the codriver of allergic inflammation along with TH2 cells by secreting IgE and Ig-fLCs.
Other CD4+ and
CD8+ T cells
Unknown roles.