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Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
Published on: May 31, 2021
New insights into roles of basophils in initiating T helper type 2 immunity
1Yayuncun Outpatient Department, Third Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100101, China.
Abstract:
Allergic diseases, mainly mediated by T helper type 2 (Th2) immunity, have become a worldwide public health problem. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been used in treating and preventing allergic symptoms. As the new target of anti-allergy TCM, basophils, after approximately 140 years since their discovery, are just now gaining respect as important contributors in the pathogenesis underlying allergic inflammation and disease. In addition to their role as effector cells, basophils can release early IL-4, migrate from circulatory system into draining lymph nodes, present antigen to naive CD4+ T cells, and promote the differentiation of Th2 cells. Herein, we briefly summarized the recent research advances of the essential contributions of basophils in the initiation of Th2 immune responses.
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