Open AccessThe Concept of Pathogenic T<sub>H</sub>2 Cells: Collegium Internationale Allergologicum Update 2021
Author(s) -
Nicole Bertschi,
Cecilia Bazzini,
Christoph Schlapbach
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international archives of allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1423-0097
pISSN - 1018-2438
DOI - 10.1159/000515144
Subject(s) - immunology , population , immune system , t cell , biology , phenotype , medicine , genetics , gene , environmental health
T helper (T H ) cells have evolved into distinct subsets that mediate specific immune responses to protect the host against a myriad of infectious and noninfectious challenges. However, if dysregulated, T H -cell subsets can cause inflammatory disease. Emerging evidence now suggests that human allergic disease is caused by a distinct subpopulation of pathogenic T H 2 cells. Pathogenic T H 2 cells from different type-2-driven diseases share a core phenotype and show overlapping functional attributes. The unique differentiation requirements, activating signals, and metabolic characteristics of pathogenic T H 2 cells are just being discovered. A better knowledge of this particular T H 2 cell population will enable the specific targeting of disease-driving pathways in allergy. In this review, we introduce a rational for classifying T H cells into distinct subsets, discuss the current knowledge on pathogenic T H 2 cells, and summarize their involvement in allergic diseases.