Horie, Shiro

Abstract An IgG-coated surface, such as found on parasites, is one of the most effective physiologic stimuli for eosinophil activation. Recent evidence suggests that cellular adhesion, especially that through the β 2 integrin, is an important step in cellular activation and accumulation. Therefore, we investigated the role of adhesion molecules in IgG-stimulated eosinophil functions. Cross-linking of eosinophil cytophilic IgG by anti-IgG immobilized to tissue culture plates induced degranulation, whereas soluble anti-IgG did not. Similarly, eosinophils exposed to human IgG immobilized to plates adhered and degranulated; in addition, adherence and subsequent degranulation were inhibited by mAbs to CD18 and CD11b, but not by mAb to CD29, suggesting an important role of β 2 integrin for these responses. Eosinophil degranulation induced by IgG covalently coupled to Sepharose 4B beads was also inhibited by mAb to CD18. Furthermore, fibrinogen, a ligand for CD11b/18, showed synergistic enhancement of IgG-induced degranulation when it was co-immobilized with IgG to plates. A morphologic study showed that eosinophils, stimulated by immobilized IgG, protrude numerous pseudopods; this morphologic change was inhibited by mAb to CD18. This cellular adhesion seems to affect the early signaling events in eosinophils because the production of inositol phosphates was abolished by mAb to CD18. Interestingly, although superoxide production by eosinophils triggered by immobilized IgG was inhibited by mAb to CD18, superoxide production and morphologic change of neutrophils were not. These results suggest that cell adhesion through CD11b/18 is a crucial step for the activation, signaling, and effector function of eosinophils stimulated by IgG.

Abstract Cellular adhesion plays an important role in the recruitment and activation of eosinophils. Here, we investigated whether extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins modify effector functions of activated human eosinophils. We coated 96-well plates with laminin or fibronectin and blocked nonspecific protein-binding sites with human serum albumin (HSA). When eosinophils were stimulated with platelet-activating factor (PAF) and incubated in these ECM-coated wells, the eosinophils adhered using both β 1- and β 2-integrins. Degranulation of eosinophils adherent to laminin- and fibronectin-coated wells was reduced about 50% compared with cells adherent to uncoated, HSA-blocked wells. Furthermore, these inhibitory effects of laminin and fibronectin were concentration-dependent and secretagogue-specific, that is, degranulation induced by C5a and IL-5 was inhibited while degranulation induced by secretory IgA and PMA was not inhibited. Plasma fibronectin, type I collagen and type IV collagen also inhibited PAF- and C5a-induced eosinophil degranulation, whereas fibrinogen did not. By microscopy, PAF-stimulated eosinophils, adhering to uncoated HSA-blocked wells, appeared elongated with many pseudopods. In contrast, eosinophils adhering to laminin-coated wells appeared oval with few pseudopods. Furthermore, when cells were incubated in laminin-coated wells, PAF-stimulated production of a second messenger, inositol phosphate, was markedly reduced. These findings suggest that ECM protein, such as laminin and fibronectin, attenuate both activation and degranulation of eosinophils and also influence their morphology after stimulation by physiologic secretagogues. Thus, ECM proteins may regulate activation of eosinophils, as they traverse between the peripheral blood and their targets.

Abstract Recent evidence suggests adhesion molecules play an important role in the function of leukocytes. Because human eosinophils are known to express beta 2 integrins, we hypothesized that these adhesion molecules mediate the effector function of eosinophils. Normal human eosinophils incubated in albumin-coated polystyrene plates released granule protein and produced superoxide anion when stimulated with human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage CSF (rGM-CSF), platelet-activating factor (PAF), or PMA. Simultaneous monitoring of eosinophil adhesion and degranulation showed that degranulation was always preceded by cellular adhesion regardless of stimuli. Furthermore, eosinophil degranulation induced by human rGM-CSF and PAF was abolished in suspension culture of the cells when the cell suspensions were gently stirred. To identify the molecules involved in this adhesion-dependent degranulation, we have investigated the effects of mAbs (mAb) against beta 2 integrins. mAb reactive with CD18 markedly inhibited the eosinophil adhesion and degranulation induced by PAF and human rGM-CSF. mAb reactive with CD11b also moderately inhibited the adhesion and degranulation. In contrast, mAb reactive with CD11a slightly enhanced or showed no effect on the adhesion and degranulation by human rGM-CSF or PAF. Superoxide production induced by human rGM-CSF and PAF was also abolished by the treatment of cells with anti-CD18 mAb. mAb against CD11b and CD18 had little effect on degranulation and superoxide production induced by PMA. These results indicate that CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1)-dependent cellular adhesion plays an important role in the degranulation and superoxide production of eosinophils induced by human rGM-CSF and PAF, and that these mechanisms may be employed in vivo where eosinophils contact with stromal cells and/or proteins.