Type 2 Polarized, Lineage-Ambiguous T cells Emerge after Allergic Priming and Initiate IgE Production upon Allergen Re-exposure

Allergic diseases are conditions of global concern with an estimated prevalence of approximately 10%. From an immunological perspective, allergy is characterized by the generation of IgE in response to typically innocuous antigens, referred to allergens. IgE binds to the high affinity FceR1 on mast cells and basophils. Upon allergen crosslinking, these cells secrete an array of preformed and rapidly synthesized mediators which mediate the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. The incipient events leading to the generation of IgE remain to be elucidated. Prior research by our group in mice has shown that a single intragastric administration of an allergen along with an adjuvant generates allergen-specific CD4+ T cells with an ambiguous phenotype; we refer to this process as “priming”. Notably, B cells remain naïve under these conditions. However, subsequent non-sensitizing (no adjuvant) exposures to allergen lead to B cell activation, production of IgE and anaphylaxis. My project will elucidate the phenotype of allergen-specific T cells generated upon priming using flow cytometry and transcriptomic analysis and will further interrogate mechanisms by which these T cells interact with B cells during secondary allergen exposures to produce IgE.

Department dc:contributor.department

Health Sciences

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Song, George Jiaqi

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Jordana, Manel
• Koenig, Joshua

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/11375/33080

OAI record oai:identifier

https://macsphere.mcmaster.ca/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Amacsphere.mcmaster.ca%3A11375%2F33080