Eosinophil, basophil leukocytes and mast cells in allergic inflammation

Novel Basophil- or Eosinophil-Depleted Mouse Models for Functional Analyses of Allergic Inflammation

Basophils and eosinophils play important roles in various host defense mechanisms but also act as harmful effectors in allergic disorders. We generated novel basophil- and eosinophil-depletion mouse models by introducing the human diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor gene under the control of the mouse CD203c and the eosinophil peroxidase promoter, respectively, to study the critical roles of these c...

[Mast cells in allergic diseases].

Mast cells and inflammation.

Mast cells are well known for their role in allergic and anaphylactic reactions, as well as their involvement in acquired and innate immunity. Increasing evidence now implicates mast cells in inflammatory diseases where they are activated by non-allergic triggers, such as neuropeptides and cytokines, often exerting synergistic effects as in the case of IL-33 and neurotensin. Mast cells can also...

Mast cells and inflammation.

Mast cells have long been recognized as potent producers of a large panel of biologically highly active mediators such as biogenic amines, arachidonic acid metabolites, cytokines and chemokines, but most of their biological functions have been elusive and speculative. By taking advantage of mast cell-deficient mice, the role of mast cells in a variety of experimental settings can now be studied...

Activation of basophil and mast cell histamine release by eosinophil granule major basic protein

Major basic protein (MBP) is a primary constituent of eosinophil granules. In this report, we demonstrate that MBP from human eosinophil granules initiates a nonlytic histamine release from human leukocytes. A direct effect of MBP on basophils was confirmed using purified human basophils. The kinetics of release were similar to those reported for poly-L-arginine, although MBP was less potent th...