Allergen-specific B-cell and T-cell receptors (BCR/TCR)

Allergen-specific B-cell and T-cell receptors are the primary molecular sensors of the adaptive immune system that recognize and respond to environmental allergens. B-cell receptors (BCRs) are membrane-bound immunoglobulins that bind directly to intact allergens, while T-cell receptors (TCRs) recognize allergen-derived peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules (Larche et al., Nature Reviews Immunology, 2006). In allergic individuals, the activation of these receptors leads to a Type 2 (Th2) immune bias, characterized by the production of allergen-specific IgE and the recruitment of eosinophils and mast cells (Akdis & Akdis, JACI, 2014). Therapeutic strategies, such as allergen immunotherapy (AIT), aim to modulate these receptors' signaling pathways to induce peripheral tolerance, often through the induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the switching of B-cell antibody production from IgE to IgG4 (Shamji & Durham, JACI, 2017). Targeting these receptors is fundamental to treating conditions like allergic rhinitis, asthma, and food allergies by addressing the underlying cause of hypersensitivity rather than just managing symptoms. This target represents a functional immune complex rather than a single protein, serving as the focal point for disease-modifying allergy treatments (Heeringa et al., JACI, 2020).

Other names

Allergen-specific receptorsAllergen-specific BCRAllergen-specific TCRIgE-BCRAllergen-specific immune repertoire

Induction of peripheral T-cell tolerance through anergy or deletion, expansion of regulatory T (Treg) and B (Breg) cells, and immune deviation from Th2 to Th1/Treg responses, leading to B-cell class switching from IgE to protective IgG4 antibodies.