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Responsiveness of Eosinophils to Aeroallergens may be Independent of Atopic Status
Author(s) -
Redvall E.,
Bengtsson U.,
Wennerås C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2008.02081.x
Subject(s) - immunology , eosinophil peroxidase , eosinophil cationic protein , allergen , degranulation , allergy , atopic dermatitis , biology , eosinophil , medicine , asthma , receptor
It has been reported that extracts from common aeroallergens directly activate eosinophils from non‐allergic individuals, eliciting chemotaxis and degranulation. The aims of this study were to compare the reactivity of eosinophils from non‐atopic and atopic individuals to airborne allergens, and to assess if this reactivity was modulated by natural exposure to birch pollen. Blood‐derived eosinophils were stimulated with allergen extracts from birch pollen, cat dander, house dust mite and timothy grass, and their capacity to degranulate (eosinophil peroxidase, EPO; major basic protein, MBP) and produce T helper type 1 and 2 cytokines were evaluated as well as their capacity to migrate in vitro , in and out of the birch pollen season. Eosinophils from atopic and non‐atopic individuals responded similarly to stimulation with allergen extracts with respect to directed migration, EPO and MBP release, which was independent of the season when the samples were collected. Interestingly, eosinophils from both study groups were incapable of producing tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) during the birch pollen season, but could generate interleukin‐4. Innate responsiveness of eosinophils to aeroallergens is independent of the atopic status of the individual. In vivo exposure to birch allergen as seen during the birch pollen season downregulates the capacity of eosinophils to produce the cytokine TNF‐α.