REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. T Cell Biology
A Pathogenic Role for CD8+T Cells in Allergic Disease
Provisionally accepted
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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[Abstract] Global allergic disease incidence is rising, driven by Th2 immunity. While CD8+ T cells are typically associated with antiviral and antitumor responses, recent evidence highlights their dual roles in allergic reactions. This review examines CD8+ T cell subset classification, biological properties, and their protective (e.g., Tc1, CD8+ regulatory T cells (CD8+ Treg) secreting IFN-γ/IL-10 to suppress Th2 inflammation and promote tolerance) versus pathogenic (e.g., Tc2, Tc9, tissue-resident memory T-cells (TRM) exacerbating chronic inflammation via IgE class switching, IL-13, granzymes) mechanisms. Metabolic reprogramming (e.g., glycolysis/fatty acid oxidation balance) and epigenetic regulation are key to this functional plasticity. Targeting specific molecules (e.g., IL-13, IL-17, JAK1 inhibitors) shows translational promise for allergic asthma and atopic dermatitis. Future research integrating single-cell technologies, artificial intelligence, and metabolic interventions will be crucial for developing precise CD8+ T cell-targeted immunotherapies. This review resolves CD8+ T cell heterogeneity and regulatory networks in allergy, providing a foundation for novel therapeutic strategies.
Keywords: allergic diseases, CD8+ T cells, Cell interaction, Immune imbalance, metabolic reprogramming
Received: 10 Aug 2025; Accepted: 27 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ye, Chen, Huang, Sun, Zhou, Nong, Chen and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xueting Liu, liuxueting@gzhmu.edu.cn
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