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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
07:22

Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis

Published on: May 31, 2021

Basophils as T(h)2-inducing antigen-presenting cells

Tomohiro Yoshimoto1

  • 1Laboratory of Allergic Diseases, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan. tomo@hyo-med.ac.jp

International Immunology
|May 27, 2010
PubMed

Recent studies have revealed a role for basophils as antigen-presenting cells that preferentially induce T(h)2 cells in response to complexes of antigen plus antigen-specific IgE, to protease allergens or to helminthic parasites in vitro and in vivo through the production of 'early IL-4' and the presentation to CD4(+) T cells of complexes of peptide plus MHC class II. These findings have revealed previously unknown functions of basophils and will potentially aid the design of novel therapeutic strategies for T(h)2-IgE-mediated diseases such as bronchial asthma.

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