To investigate the process of eosinophil recruitment in atopic dermatitis (AD), patch testing with crude dust-mite allergens was performed on normal-appearing skin of 9 adult AD patients with high levels of mite-specific IgE antibodies. Positive reactions were observed in 6 AD subjects, whereas 0 of 7 control subjects showed positive reactions to mite allergens. Positive reaction sites were bio...

Selective eosinophil accumulation is a hallmark of diseases such as asthma. In a model of chronic eosinophilic inflammation, we have previously shown that the tethering step in eosinophil adhesion is mediated by PSGL-1 binding to P-selectin. The Th2-associated cytokine IL-13 is of potential importance in allergic disease. We have therefore investigated whether IL-13 can mediate eosinophil bindi...

BACKGROUND Asthma is a common chronic condition with an economic burden of almost $56 billion annually in the US. Biologic markers like blood eosinophils, that help predict the risk of exacerbation could help guide more optimal treatment plans and reduce cost. The purpose of this study was to determine whether healthcare resource use and expenditures vary by eosinophil level among patients with...

Eosinophils are white blood cells that function in innate immunity and participate in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory and neoplastic disorders. Their secretory granules contain four cytotoxic proteins, including the eosinophil major basic protein (MBP-1). How MBP-1 toxicity is controlled within the eosinophil itself and activated upon extracellular release is unknown. Here we show how ...

Eosinophils are effector cells that migrate toward several mediators released at inflammatory sites to perform their multiple functions. The mechanisms driving eosinophil selective accumulation in sites of allergic inflammation are well-established and involve several steps controlled by adhesion molecules, priming agents, chemotactic, and surviving factors. Even though the majority of studies ...

Tomatidine is isolated from the fruits of tomato plants and found to have anti-inflammatory effects in macrophages. In the present study, we investigated whether tomatidine suppresses airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and eosinophil infiltration in asthmatic mice. BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin and treated with tomatidine by intraperitoneal injection. Airway resistance was measured b...

Oxidants generated by eosinophils during chronic inflammation may lead to mutagenesis in adjacent epithelial cells. Eosinophil peroxidase, a heme enzyme released by eosinophils, generates hypobromous acid that damages tissue in inflammatory conditions. We show that human eosinophils use eosinophil peroxidase to produce 5-bromodeoxycytidine. Flow cytometric, immunohistochemical, and mass spectro...