Adipose tissue (AT) inflammation during obesity is mediated by immune cells and closely correlates with systemic insulin resistance. In lean AT, eosinophils are present in low but significant numbers and capable of promoting alternative macrophage activation in an IL-4/IL-13-dependent manner. In WT mice, obesity causes the proportion of AT eosinophils to decline, concomitant with inflammation a...

Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) has been noted for its reduction of eosinophilic airway inflammation in a murine model of chronic asthma. To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in this anti-inflammatory phenomenon, the effect of AS-IV on human blood eosinophils was studied in vitro. Eosinophils were isolated from the blood of patients with mild atopic asthma, preincubated with AS-IV...

BACKGROUND/AIMS We sought to increase our understanding of the rhinitis-asthma relationship and improve strategies for the treatment of patients with these diseases. The aim of this study was to identify a connection between upper airway inflammation and lower airway responsiveness. METHODS We counted eosinophils on nasal smears, and performed spirometry, allergic skin tests, and methacholine...

BACKGROUND Early identification of the severity of asthma exacerbation would be helpful for the management of patients. We aimed to evaluate the correlation of morphological change in activated eosinophils and the severity of an asthma exacerbation. METHODS Blood was collected from 55 asthmatic children: 40 of whom were having an exacerbation, 15 symptom-free, and 15 healthy controls. The per...

BACKGROUND Eosinophilic colitis (EC) is a rare and ill-defined entity with an unknown pathogenesis and an unsatisfactory treatment response. The standard histopathological criteria for EC diagnosis lack specificity and not all the cases fulfilling those criteria are considered clinically as EC and treated. The objective of this study is to refine diagnostic criteria for EC. METHODS Retrospect...

The cytotoxic capability of eosinophils from patients with the hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) against a variety of target cells was studied utilizing a 5tCr release assay. A separation technique was developed that reproducibly gave eosinophil suspensions of >90% (in many instances >99%) purity from peripheral differential counts of > 10% eosinophils. The method employed density gradient centr...

PURPOSE To examine the effect of human conjunctival fibroblasts on the survival and functional activity of human peripheral blood eosinophils. METHODS Eosinophils were purified by negative immunoselection [magnetic activated cell sorter (MACS), purity > 97%] from volunteers with mild atopia. Fibroblasts were cultured from conjunctival specimens of healthy donors. Eosinophils were cultured on ...

Allergic rhinosinusitis involves several types of inflammatory cells. The dominant inflammatory cells include mast cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes/macrophages. Since eosinophils are one type of inflammatory cell that is often related to allergy, we investigated in this study whether the eosinophils present in rhinosinusitis may be potential targets for CD52 antibody treatment. Fi...

BACKGROUND Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and eosinophils are prominent components of allergic inflammation. Therefore, we sought to determine whether TSLP could activate eosinophils, focusing on measuring the regulation of TSLPR expression on eosinophils and degranulation in response to TSLP, as well as other eosinophil activation responses. METHODS Eosinophil mRNA expression of TSLPR a...

INTRODUCTION The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and blood eosinophils, markers of local and systemic eosinophilic inflammation, respectively, are increased in asthmatic patients. Little is known concerning the relationship between the FeNO levels and blood eosinophils in asthmatics. METHODS Twenty severe asthmatics with persistent FeNO elevation (≥40 ppb) and blood eosinophilia (≥3%)...