Why specific, ubiquitous, otherwise innocuous environmental proteins tend to provoke
maladaptive, TH2-polarized immune responses in susceptible hosts is a fundamental
mechanistic question for those interested in the pathogenesis, therapy, and prevention of
allergic disease. The current renaissance in the study of innate immunity has provided
important insights into this question. The theme emerging from recent studies is that direct
(dys) functional interactions with pathways of innate immune activation that evolved to signal …