T-cell receptor on cat-allergen-specific CD4+ T cell (TCR)

T-cell receptors (TCRs) on cat-allergen-specific CD4+ T cells are the primary mediators of the adaptive immune response to Fel d 1, the major allergen produced by cats (Grönlund et al., 2010). These receptors recognize specific Fel d 1 peptide fragments presented by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells (Archila et al., 2014). In allergic individuals, this interaction typically triggers a Th2-polarized response, leading to the production of IgE and the recruitment of inflammatory cells, which results in symptoms of allergic rhinitis and asthma (Larché, 2007). Therapeutic strategies targeting these TCRs, such as peptide-based immunotherapy (e.g., Cat-PAD), aim to induce immune tolerance by delivering short, synthetic peptides that engage the TCR to promote T-cell anergy or the induction of regulatory T cells (Patel et al., 2013). By modulating the activity of these specific T-cell clones, these therapies seek to provide long-term desensitization and reduce the allergic inflammatory cascade (Worm et al., 2011). This approach is designed to avoid the risk of systemic anaphylaxis associated with traditional whole-allergen extracts while providing a more precise immunological intervention.

Other names

Fel d 1-specific T-cell receptorCat allergen-specific TCRFelis domesticus allergen 1-specific TCR

Induction of immunological tolerance through T-cell anergy, deletion, or the generation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) following specific TCR engagement by allergen-derived peptides (Larché, 2007).