Abstract In allergic rhinitis (AR), the epithelial barrier composed of nasal mucosal epithelial cells is the first line of defense, which is crucial to protect the host immune system from harmful stimuli. Moreover, irreversible structural changes in nasal mucosal epithelial cells can occur in response to different allergens, but the mechanism leading to such abnormal changes has not been determined. Programmed cell death is regulated by genes and interacts with multiple cell signaling pathways. To explore the regulatory mechanism and signal pathway of programmed cell death in epithelial cells of allergic rhinitis, is helpful to clarify the pathogenesis of AR and put forward treatment strategies. In this paper, the regulation mechanisms of programmed cell death such as apoptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy occurring in epithelial cells in AR, are retrospectively summarized to better understand the pathogenesis of AR. FIG. 1 Programmed cell death in AR epithelial cells