A cytometric survey of immune cell populations reveals an association between allergen-responsive natural killer (NK) cells and human peanut allergy

Food allergies are a leading cause of anaphylaxis, and allergen specific immune responses in both the innate and the adaptive immune system play key roles in its pathogenesis. NK cells can regulate allergic inflammation through cytokine secretion and cell-cell contact-mediated mechanisms in allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis. However, little is known about the response of NK cells in the setting of food allergy.