Allergen-specific CD8+ T Cells in Peanut-Allergic Individuals.

CD8+ T cells are uncommonly thought to be involved in IgE-mediated food allergy, but there are reasons to reconsider their role in this condition.1 CD8+ T cells are present in skin, and in the respiratory and gut mucosae, where they may modulate the immune response in atopic conditions such as asthma and atopic dermatitis.2-4 In mice, CD8+ T cells attenuate food allergy in some experimental models, whereas in humans, CD8+ T cells have been shown to expand in response to wheat ingestion in celiac disease.