Allergic diseases are allergen-induced immunological disorders characterized by the development of type 2 immunity and IgE responses. The prevalence of allergic diseases has been on the rise alike cardiovascular disease (CVD), which affects arteries of different organs such as the heart, the kidney and the brain. The underlying cause of CVD is often atherosclerosis, a disease distinguished by endothelial dysfunction, fibrofatty material accumulation in the intima of the artery wall, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and Th1 inflammation. The opposed T-cell identity of allergy and atherosclerosis implies an atheroprotective role for Th2 cells by counteracting Th1 responses. Yet, the clinical association between allergic disease and CVD argues against it. Within, we review different phases of allergic pathology, basic immunological mechanisms of atherosclerosis and the clinical association between allergic diseases (particularly asthma, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and food allergy) and CVD. Then, we discuss putative atherogenic mechanisms of type 2 immunity and allergic inflammation including acute allergic reactions (IgE, IgG1, mast cells, macrophages and allergic mediators such as vasoactive components, growth factors and those derived from the complement, contact and coagulation systems) and late phase inflammation (Th2 cells, eosinophils, type 2 innate-like lymphoid cells, alarmins, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-13 and IL-17).Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence,
Grant/Award Number: CEX2020-001041-
S;
Pro CNIC Foundation;
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación;
Ministry of Science and Innovation, Grant/
Award Number: PID2019-110369RB-
I00;
European Commission, Grant/Award
Number: ERC-CoG
819775 and H2020-HEALTH
945118; Spanish Ministry of
Universities; Ayudas Margarita Salas
para la Formación de Jóvenes Doctores—Universidad
Autónoma de Madrid, Grant/
Award Number: CA1/RSUE/2021–00577;
Formación de Profesorado Universitario,
Grant/Award Number: FPU16/03953;
Sociedad Española de Alergología e
Inmunología Clínica (SEAIC), Grant/
Award Number: BECA20A9; New
Frontiers in Research Fund, Grant/
Award Number: NFRFE-2019-
00083;
The Nutricia Research Foundation,
Grant/Award Number: NRF-2021-
13;
Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Grant/Award
Number: PI21/00158, PI21/01126,
CP20/00043, PI18/01467, PI19/00044,
RD16/0006/0015 and RD21/0002/0008;
Severo Ochoa Program, Grant/Award
Number: AEI/SEV-2017-
0712S
