Minnicozzi, Michael

Abstract By using microscopic, fluorometric, and immunologic methods, we have assessed the effects of eosinophil granule proteins on the microcirculation of the hamster cheek pouch. The plasma clearance of FITC-dextran 150 (FITC-dx 150) was used to quantify macromolecular transport. Topical application of major basic protein (MaBP) at 0.1 and 0.5 nM increased the clearance of FITC-dx 150 from a base line of 591 to 1283 and 1966 nl/60 min/g, respectively. Numerous muscle fasciculations were also observed with the 0.5 nM dose of MaBP. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) was as potent as MaBP and caused an increase in the clearance of FITC-dx 150, 0.5 nM eliciting 2156 nl/60 min/g. In contrast, topical application of 0.5 nM eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) increased clearance of FITC-dx 150 to a significantly lower level, 1113 nl/60 min/g. Supplementing 0.5 nM EPO with 1 nM H2O2 enhanced the clearance of FITC-dx 150 to 2404 nl/60 min/g, suggesting separate cationic charge and enzymatic activity-related effects. Compared with these eosinophil granule proteins, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) required a 2000-fold higher concentration (1 microM) to elicit a significant increase in the clearance of FITC-dx 150 (1505 nl/60 min/g). Neither EPO, EPO+H2O2, ECP, nor EDN at 1 mM caused muscle fasciculations. Quantitative analysis of the suffusates from the preparations exposed to these eosinophil proteins did not contain histamine. Our results demonstrate that MaBP, ECP, EPO, and EDN increase microvascular transport in the hamster cheek pouch and that this increase is independent of endogenous histamine release. The concentrations of eosinophil granule proteins causing increased vascular permeability are achieved in many pathologic conditions suggesting that the granule proteins play an important role in disease.

AbstractEosinophil-associated diseases (EADs) are rare, heterogeneous disorders characterized by the presence of eosinophils in tissues and/or peripheral blood resulting in immunopathology. The heterogeneity of tissue involvement, lack of sufficient animal models, technical challenges in working with eosinophils, and lack of standardized histopathologic approaches have hampered progress in basic research. Additionally, clinical trials and drug development for rare EADs are limited by the lack of primary and surrogate endpoints, biomarkers, and validated patient-reported outcomes. Researchers with expertise in eosinophil biology and eosinophil-related diseases reviewed the state of current eosinophil research, resources, progress, and unmet needs in the field since the 2012 meeting of the NIH Taskforce on the Research of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD). RE-TREAD focused on gaps in basic science, translational, and clinical research on eosinophils and eosinophil-related pathogenesis. Improved recapitulation of human eosinophil biology and pathogenesis in murine models was felt to be of importance. Characterization of eosinophil phenotypes, the role of eosinophil subsets in tissues, identification of biomarkers of eosinophil activation and tissue load, and a better understanding of the role of eosinophils in human disease were prioritized. Finally, an unmet need for tools for use in clinical trials was emphasized. Histopathologic scoring, patient- and clinician-reported outcomes, and appropriate coding were deemed of paramount importance for research collaborations, drug development, and approval by regulatory agencies. Further exploration of the eosinophil genome, epigenome, and proteome was also encouraged. Although progress has been made since 2012, unmet needs in eosinophil research remain a priority.Review on eosinophil biology and eosinophil-related disorders (2012–2017) with a focus on continued unmet needs in eosinophil-associated diseases.

Abstract Accumulation of eosinophils in the lung with concomitant tissue damage are defining histopathologic features of human asthma. Through degranulation and the release of proinflammatory proteins such as major basic protein (MBP), eosinophils may perpetuate this inflammatory response. We investigated the extent of eosinophil degranulation in a murine model of allergic pulmonary inflammation. In this paradigm, the mice develop pulmonary eosinophilia, mucus hypersecretion, tissue damage, and airway edema and hyperreactivity. To evaluate the degree of eosinophil degranulation, we used a polyclonal antibody to murine MBP (mMBP) to perform dot blot analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and fluids, and immunohistochemical fluorescent analysis of lung tissue sections. After ovalbumin antigen challenge, we were unable to detect immunoreactive mMBP in the BAL fluids from either nonsensitized or sensitized mice. However, after lysis of the recoverable BAL cells, we were able to detect mMBP by immunoblot analysis, with the levels of immunoreactive mMBP directly related to the number of recoverable eosinophils. We also examined paraffin-embedded, lung tissue sections for patterns of mMBP deposition. Whereas lung sections from allergic mice revealed prominent peribronchial eosinophilia after antigen challenge, tissue sections from nonsensitized animals rarely displayed eosinophils. Despite the presence of numerous eosinophils, no immunohistologic evidence of extracellular mMBP could be found in antigen-challenged allergic mice. Furthermore, rechallenged allergic mice displayed a significant increase in the number of recruited pulmonary eosinophils but all immunoreactive mMBP was still intracellular. We conclude that the recruited pulmonary eosinophils have not substantially degranulated. These results suggest that, in this murine model of allergic inflammation, eosinophil degranulation and release of mMBP does not contribute to the observed pulmonary inflammation and airway hyperreactivity.