Aberrant Interaction of the Gut Immune System with Environmental Factors in the Development of Food Allergies

The gastrointestinal immune system is a major component of the mucosal barrier, which maintains an immunologic homeostasis between the host and the harsh environment of the gut. This homeostasis is achieved by immunologic quiescence, and its dysregulation is thought to result from the development of immune diseases such as food allergies. Recent findings have revealed versatile pathways in the development of intestinal allergies to certain food antigens. In this review, we summarize the regulatory and quiescence mechanisms in the gut immune system and describe aberrant interactions between the host immune system and the gut environment in the development of food allergies.