Orally desensitized mast cells form a regulatory network with Treg cells for the control of food allergy

Food allergies are an increasingly common problem and oral immunotherapy has shown success in desensitizing allergic reactions in clinical trials. Here SMI member Hiroshi Kiyono, along with colleagues, show mast cells, which produce histamine during allergic responses, become desensitized during oral immunotherapy. Following treatment, which included daily oral exposure to escalating doses of the allergen, mast cells produced more regulatory cytokines which supported the expansion of regulatory T cells, which could help reinforce the decreased allergic responses in individuals. This exciting work published in Mucosal Immunology helps explain how oral immunotherapy decreases food allergies, and suggest functionally altering mast cells promotes the reversal of allergic responses.

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