UC San Diego

This study presents an in vitro model of regulatory T cell induction and explores the impact of eosinophils on developing naïve T cell populations. The research is relevant to the type 2 helper T cell mediated allergic response. As regulatory T cells are normally responsible for the suppression of other helper T cells, including type 2 cells, it serves an essential role in preventing allergic responses. The polarization between helper and regulatory T cell is only one part of allergy, which first needs an antigen presenting cell to process and present allergens to naïve T cells. In either case, eosinophils seem to have a limited scope in allergy compared to T cells. However, eosinophils have a unique feature, in that they can be induced to present antigen to CD4 T cells. Aspergillus fumigatus, a common fungal allergen, is a prime candidate to study the effects of an allergic response. Along with its ubiquitous nature, it has been known to generate varying effects on eosinophils and regulatory T cells. Eosinophils themselves have been established as mere indicators of allergy, but the actual influence that eosinophils have on other T cells in an allergic response is still unclear.