Long lived immune memory and food allergy

Aberrant and pathological IgE responses to food allergens, whether persisting for a year or for a lifetime, are rooted in long-lived immunological memory. Unconventionally, IgE humoral memory is short-lived relative to protective immunity against pathogens, placing emphasis on cellular memory in the maintenance of allergic reactivity. Studies in mice and humans have uncovered a central interplay between IgG+ memory B cells and type 2 polarized CD4+ T cells that replenishes the transient IgE pool. These strides in our understanding of cellular phenotype, localization, and molecular crosstalk are critical for transforming therapeutic strategies to target allergen-specific memory.