Orientador: Edson Antunes / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T19:38:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SouzaFilho_LuisGustavode1974-_M.pdf: 2079653 bytes, checksum: 497d01659ac0eed18bd9c81662ca0b59 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Os inibidores das óxido nítrico sintases (NOS) são amplamente utilizados para avaliar a contribuição do NO na alergia pulmonar, mas os dados obtidos pela utilização de tais inibidores são controversos. Neste estudo, ensaios farmacológicos, bioquímicos e farmacocinéticos foram realizados para se avaliar os efeitos dos tratamentos agudo e crônico com o inibidor não seletivo da NOS, L-NAME, assim como do inibidor seletivo para NOS induzível (iNOS), aminoguanidina, sobre a inflamação das vias aéreas em camundongos BALB/c desafiados com ovalbumina (OVA). O tratamento crônico com L-NAME (50 e 150 mg/kg/dia, por três semanas) aumentou significativamente o número de eosinófilos no lavado broncoalveolar (LBA) de animais desafiados com ovalbumina (OVA; 0,19 ± 0,02 e 0,34 ± 0,03 x 106células/LBA, respectivamente; P<0,0001) em relação aos não tratados (0,13 ± 0,02 x 106 células/LBA). No parênquima pulmonar, o tratamento crônico com L-NAME (150 mg/kg/dia) também elevou significativamente o número de eosinófilos nos animais desafiados com OVA em relação aos animais não tratados (27,0 ± 5,1 e 18,2 ± 1,6 eosinófilos/brônquio, respectivamente; P<0,05). Contrariamente, os tratamentos agudo com L-NAME (50 mg/kg; gavagem 30 min antes do primeiro desafio com OVA) e crônico com aminoguanidina (20 mg/kg/dia, por três semanas) reduziram o número de eosinófilos no LBA (0,05 ± 0,01 e 0,04 ± 0,02 x 106 células/LBA, respectivamente; P<0,05) em relação ao controle. Os tratamentos agudo e crônico com L-NAME reduziram a atividade da NOS constitutiva (cNOS) no cérebro em relação aos animais não tratados (tratamento agudo: 5,8 ± 0,4 e 3,6 ± 0,2 pmol/min/mg de proteína; tratamento crônico: 5,7 ± 0,3 e 0,7 ± 0,2 pmol/min/mg de proteína, para controle e tratado, respectivamente; P<0,05). A atividade da NOS induzível (iNOS) pulmonar foi significativamente reduzida pelos tratamentos agudo com L-NAME e crônico com aminoguanidina (0,7 ± 0,05 e 0,04 ± 0,02 pmol/min/mg de proteína, respectivamente; P<0,05) em relação aos animais não tratados (1,2 ± 0,2 pmol/min/mg de proteína). Contudo, o tratamento crônico com L-NAME não afetou a atividade da iNOS pulmonar. Os níveis séricos de IgE mostraram-se elevados nos animais desafiados com OVA, mas não foram afetados por nenhum dos tratamentos. O tratamento crônico com aminoguanidina (mas não o tratamento crônico com L-NAME) reduziu os níveis elevados de eotaxina no LBA (3,4 ± 1,2 e 1,0 ± 0,5 pg/ml, para controle e tratado, respectivamente; P<0,05). As reduções dos níveis de NOx no LBA pelos tratamentos agudo com L-NAME e crônico com aminoguanidina (1,8 ± 0,4 e 0,6 ± 0,3 µM, respectivamente) foram maiores quando comparadas ao tratamento crônico com L-NAME (6,8 ± 0,6 µM) em relação aos animais não tratados (8,8 ± 0,8 µM). Os protocolos farmacocinéticos mostraram que o L-NAME não é biodisponível quando dado via oral. As concentrações séricas do metabólito do L-NAME, N?-nitro-L-arginina, diminuiram progressivamente de 30 min a 24 horas após a administração (72,0 a 32,1 ng/mL). No tratamento crônico com L-NAME, a concentração do N?-nitro-L-arginina (16,2 ng/mL) mostrou-se próxima do limite de detecção do método (10 ng/ml). Em conclusão, o tratamento crônico com L-NAME por três semanas produziu baixas concentrações séricas do N?-nitro-L-arginina, causando inibição preferencial da atividade da cNOS. Portanto, a potenciação do influxo de eosinófilos pelo tratamento crônico com L-NAME supostamente remove o NO protetor derivado da cNOS, com nenhuma interferência sobre o agravamento da inflamação devido ao NO oriundo da iNOS / Abstract: Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors are largely used to evaluate the NO contribution to pulmonary allergy, but contrasting data have been obtained. In this study, pharmacological, biochemical and pharmacokinetic studies were performed to evaluate the effects of acute and chronic treatment of BALB/C mice with non-selective (L-NAME) and selective (aminoguanidine) NOS inhibitors in ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged mice. Long-term L-NAME treatment (50 and 150 mg/kg/day, three weeks) significantly increased the eosinophil number in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid (0.19 ± 0.02 and 0.34 ± 0.03 x 106 cells / BAL, respectively; P<0.0001) in comparison with non-treated animals (0.13 ± 0.02 x 106 cells / BAL). In the bronchiolar parenchyma, chronic L-NAME treatment (150 mg/kg/day) also increased the eosinophil number (18.2 ± 1.6 and 27.0 ± 5.1 eosinophils/bronchio, for treated and untreated, respectively; P<0.05). On the other hand, acute L-NAME (50 mg/kg, given by gavage 30 min prior to the first OVA challenge) and aminoguanidine (20 mg/kg/day, three weeks) rather reduced the eosinophil number (0.05 ± 0.0 and 0.04 ± 0.02 x 106 cells / BAL, respectively; P<0.05). Chronic and acute L-NAME treatments markedly reduced the constitutive NOS (cNOS) activity in brain (0.7 ± 0.2 and 3.6 ± 0.2 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively; P<0.05) in comparison with untreated animals (5.7 ± 0.3 and 5.8 ± 0.4 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively). The inducible pulmonary NOS (iNOS) activity was markedly reduced by acute L-NAME and aminoguanidine (0.7 ± 0.05 and 0.04 ± 0.02 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively; P<0.05) compared with untreated animals (1.2 ± 0.2 pmol/min/mg of protein). In contrast, chronic L-NAME failed to affect the iNOS activity. The increased serum IgE levels seen in OVA-challenged animals were not affected by any treatment. Aminoguanidine (but not chronic L-NAME) restored the increased eotaxin levels in BAL (3.4 ± 1.2 and 1.0 ± 0.5 pg/ml; P<0.05). The NOx- levels in BAL fluid were reduced by both acute and chronic L-NAME, as well as by aminoguanidine (1.8 ± 0.4, 6.8 ± 0.6 and 0.6 ± 0.3 µM, respectively; P<0.05) compared with untreated animals (8.8 ± 0.8 µM); however, the reductions of NOx- levels by acute L-NAME and aminoguanidine were significantly higher than the chronic L-NAME treatment. The pharmacokinetic protocols showed that L-NAME per se is not bioavailable when given per os. The serum concentrations of its metabolite N?-nitro-L-arginine decreased from 30 min to 24 h (72.0 to 32.1 ng/mL) after acute L-NAME intake. In chronic treatment, N?-nitro-L-arginine concentration (16.2 ng/mL) was close to the detection limit (10 ng/mL). In conclusion, 3-week treatment with L-NAME yields low serum N?-nitro-L-arginine concentrations, causing a preferential inhibition of cNOS activity. Therefore, potentiation of eosinophil influx by chronic L-NAME reflects a removal of protective cNOS-derived NO, with no interference on the ongoing inflammation due to iNOS-derived NO / Mestrado / Mestre em Farmacologia

Le syndrome hyperéosinophilique dit "lymphoïde" avec cellules T circulantes CD3-CD4+ (SHE-L CD3-CD4+) se caractérise par une hyperéosinophilie secondaire à la présence d'un clone lymphocytaire T producteur de cytokines comme l'IL-5. Trente patients seulement ont été rapportés dans la littérature, neuf d'entre eux ont présenté un lymphome T périphérique au cours du suivi. Il n'existe aucune grande série de la littérature décrivant les données cliniques, les caractéristiques immunophénotypiques, histopathologiques et moléculaires de la maladie. Le travail de Thèse a permis de confirmer la prédominance des manifestations cutanées et ganglionnaires dans le SHE-L CD3-CD4+, mais également d'autres atteintes d'organes dont l'infiltrat à éosinophiles a été démontré (poumon, tube digestif, glande lacrymale, parotide, synoviale). Les cellules CD3-CD4+ circulantes peuvent être détectées à des taux extrêmement variables, des plus faibles (<1% des lymphocytes circulants) ne devant pas être négligés, aux plus élevés (>90% des lymphocytes circulants) ne devant pas faire évoquer systématiquement une hémopathie maligne. Nous décrivons également les 2 premiers cas de lymphomes angio-immunoblastiques (LAI) survenant au cours du SHE-L CD3-CD4+. Nous avons ensuite pu décrire pour la première fois les caractéristiques histopathologiques ganglionnaires et extra-ganglionnaires (peau, tube digestif,...) du SHE-L CD3-CD4+. Nous décrivons des caractéristiques ganglionnaires et cutanées très similaires au LAI qui soulignent les difficultés du diagnostic différentiel. Nous démontrons également la persistance du même clone lymphocytaire T dans le sang et les tissus lésés sur des prélévements espacés de plusieurs années pour un patient donné (maximum: 23 ans). Enfin, les caractéristiques immunophénotypiques des cellules T circulantes (expression du CD2, CD5, CD7, TCRalphabeta) sont très proches de celles observées dans le LAI. L'ensemble de ces données définissent le SHE-L CD3-CD4+ comme un syndrome lymphoprolifératif clonal T indolent périphérique, à ne pas confondre avec le LAI. Nous proposons des éléments de diagnostic différentiel comme l'expression du CD10 et des marqueurs CXCL13 et PD1 (marqueurs dits "T helper folliculaire"), absents dans le SHE-L mais spécifiques du LAI. La dernière partie du travail de Thèse a porté sur la caractérisation moléculaire du SHE-L CD3-CD4+ par une approche type single nucleotid polymorphism array (SNPa, n=4 patients) en complément d'une étude antérieure par une approche type comparative genomic hybridization array (CGHa, n=1 patient). La comparaison du génome complet des cellules CD3-CD4+ et CD3+CD4+ par SNPa pour un patient donné, a permis d'identifier une zone commune de perte d'hétérozygotie sur le bras long du chromosome 7. L'identification par CGHa d'un gain sur le même segment chromosomique chez un autre patient permet de restreindre la zone d'intérêt à un segment chromosomique porteur de 77 gènes. Des compléments d'investigation (SNPa) sont en cours afin de restreindre le segment chromosomique d'intérêt et d'identifier le gène muté en cause par des méthodes de séquençage. Cette approche devrait permettre d'identifier pour la première fois les mécanismes moléculaires à l'origine de l'émergence du clone lymphocytaire T dans le SHE-L CD3-CD4+. En conclusion, le travail de Thèse a permis d'apporter des éléments nouveaux dans le diagnostic du SHE-L CD3-CD4+, d'en décrire les caractéristiques histopathologiques et immunophénotypiques en faveur d'un syndrome lymphoprolifératif T clonal indolent périphérique, sans équivalent dans la classification OMS actuelle des hémopathies. Enfin, nous espérons pouvoir identifier un ou des gènes d'intérêt, et proposer des mécanismes moléculaires en cause dans ce syndrome lymphoprolifératif clonal T. / The CD3-CD4+ lymphoid variant of hypereosinophilic syndrome (CD3-CD4+ L-HES) is defined by a hypereosinophilia secondary to a clonal T-cell subset producing cytokines like interleukine-5. Only thirty patients have already been described, nine of them have developed a T-cell lymphoma during follow-up. No large series has described clinical features and immunophenotypic, histopathological and molecular characteristics of the disease. This work confirmed the predominance of skin and lymph nodes involvement in CD3-CD4+ L-HES, but also of other organs in which eosinophils infiltrates were demonstrated (lung, digestive tract, lachrymal gland, parotid, synovium). CD3-CD4+ circulating T-cells can be detected at very low level (<1% of total lymphocytes) which should not be neglected, or at very high level (>90% of total lymphocytes) which should not considered as a malignant disorder. We also describe the two first cases of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) occurred in CD3-CD4+ L-HES. We have also described for the first time the nodal and extra nodal histopathological characteristics of CD3-CD4+ L-HES, which are similar to AITL and which highlight the difficulty of differential diagnosis. We also demonstrate the same T-cell clone in blood and damaged tissues in samples spaced up for several years (maximum 23 years). Secondly, immunophenotypic characteristics of circulating T-cells (CD2, CD5, CD7, TCRalphabeta) are really closed to those of circulating T-cells in AITL. Overall, our data define CD3-CD4+ L-HES as a peripheral indolent clonal T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, which should not be confused with AITL. We suggest some differential diagnosis tools like CD10 and Tfh markers (CXCL13, PD1) which are absent in CD3-CD4+ L-HES but specific of AITLThe last part of the work focused on the molecular characterization of the CD3-CD4 + L-HES by a single nucleotid polymorphism array approach (SNPa, n = 4 patients) in complement of an earlier study using comparative genomic hybridization array approach (CGHa, n = 1 patient). The comparison of the full genome of CD3-CD4 + and CD3+CD4+ T-cells in a given patient identified a common segment of loss of heterozygosity on the long arm of chromosome 7. Identification by CGHa of a gain on the same chromosomal segment in another patient allows restricting the area of interest to a chromosomal segment which represents 77 genes. Complementary investigations (SNPa) are underway to restrict the chromosomal segment of interest and identify the potential mutated genes by sequencing methods. This approach should identify for the first time the molecular mechanisms underlying the emergence of clonal T-cells in the CD3-CD4 + L-HES.In conclusion, the work brings some new usefull features for the diagnosis of CD3-CD4+ L-HES, describes some histopathological and immunophenotypic features in favor of a peripheral indolent clonal T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, without any equivalent in the 2008 WHO classification of lymphoid neoplasms. Finally, we hope to identify one or more genes of interest, and to propose some molecular mechanisms involved in this clonal lymphoproliferative T-cell disease.

No description available.

β-(1,3)-Glucan is present in mould cell walls and frequently detected in house dust mite (HDM) faeces. β-Glucan exposure is thought to be associated with pulmonary allergic inflammation in mouse and man, although the published data are inconsistent. Here, we show that highly purified β-glucan exacerbates HDM-induced eosinophilic, T helper 2 type airway responses by acting as an adjuvant, promoting activation, proliferation and polarisation of HDM-specific T cells (1-Derβ T cells). We therefore provide definitive evidence that β-glucan can influence allergic pulmonary inflammation.

Chemotaxis, the ability of a cell to migrate towards a directional stimulus, is a basic property of virtually all cells at some stage in their development. Chemotaxis is preceded by the development of a polarized cellular morphology. The region of the cell closest to the attractant forms a broad lamellipod. The contents of the cell flow forward into this lamellipod and the rear of the cell becomes constricted into a narrow uropod. These local differences in cell structure and function presumably reflect local differences in cell chemistry, but the chemical processes involved are poorly understood. Ca+2 is known to play a ubiquitous role as an essential second messenger in many cellular processes, but its role in chemotaxis is unclear. While many chemotactic stimuli cause Ca+2 to rise intracellularly, the relationship between this rise in Ca+2 and local changes in cell behavior has been difficult to understand. In my dissertation work, I directly tested the role of cellular Ca+2 changes in polarization and chemotaxis by simultaneously imaging intracellular Ca+2 and cell morphology. This work was carried out on single eosinophils isolated from the newt, Taricha granulosa, because of their large size (~100 um, when polarized) and rapid responsiveness (~20 um/min) to chemotactic stimuli present in newt serum. An imaging system was developed to simultaneously image cell behavior, and intracellular Ca+2 following microinjection of the Ca+2 sensitive fluorescent probe, Fura-2. Cell behavior was quantified from time lapse video images captured by a SIT video camera, stored on a video optical disk recorder, and later digitized for analysis. Quantitation was accomplished by interactively tracing the cell's outline and determining the position of the geometric centroid. Variation in the radius of the outline from the centroid was used to calculate a "polarization index", which could be monitored over time. Cell speed was calculated from the movement of the centroid over time. Agents which are known to interfere with Ca+2 signalling significantly inhibited both the polarization and the movement of cells in response to 10% newt serum. These treatments included: chelation of extracellular Ca+2 with EGTA, the organic Ca+2 channel antagonist, verapamil, the inorganic Ca+2 channel blocker, cobalt, the Ca+2 ionophore, ionomycin, and caffeine, an agent known to release Ca+2 from internal stores. In contrast, the K+ ionophore, valinomycin, and treatment of cells with dibutryl cAMP had no effect on cell behavior. The development of a polarized, motile morphology following stimulation of newt eosinophils with 10% serum was accompanied by a rise in intracellular Ca+2. In addition, Ca+2 in a polarized, moving cell was non-uniformly distributed and periodic elevations in intracellular Ca+2 were seen during changes in cell behavior. In turning cells, Ca+2 was significantly higher than in cells moving in a straight line and there was a clearly detectable gradient of Ca+2 within the cell. The region closest to the new direction of movement had the lowest Ca+2 and the rear of the cell was significantly higher. This gradient persisted following a turn, even though Ca+2 was much lower overall in cells moving in a straight line. A gradient of Ca+2 along the long axis of the cell might be important for the differential regulation of different regions of the moving cell. Loading cells with the cell-permeant, esterified form of Fura-2 revealed a region of high Ca+2 associated with the microtubule organizing center (MTOC). This region was surrounded by a membrane system labeled by the lipid soluble, membrane potential sensitive dye, DiOC6(3). This region of Ca+2 was depleted by caffeine treatment. These observations, coupled with the effects of caffeine on cell behavior, suggest that a Ca+2 storage site associated with the MTOC may play a role in regulating cell polarization and chemotaxis. The effects of releasing "caged calcium" on cell behavior and [Ca2+]i were examined as a means of directly testing the ability of changes in [Ca2+]i to regulate cell behavior. Although photolysis of the compound inhibited cell polarization and movement, technical problems made it difficult to attribute these effects entirely to the release of Ca2+. The results presented here, particularly the gradients of [Ca2+]i which were observed, suggest that local regulation of the cytoplasmic components involved in cell movement by local differences in [Ca2+]i could, in part, explain the regional specialization seen during this process. This form of regulation will be discussed in detail, as will potential mechanisms to test for its function during cell polarization and chemotaxis.

No description available.

No description available.

<p>The recent and dramatic rise in allergic disease, coupled with the manifestation of the disease within the first years of life, suggests that <em>in utero</em> events are likely critically important to the inception of allergy. Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggest that both genetic predisposition and prenatal environmental exposures (e.g., <em>in utero</em> microbial exposures) play a role in modulating neonatal immunity and subsequent development of allergy. Of relevance to the work in this thesis, reports suggest that bacterial agents can directly alter myelopoiesis and, in connection to allergy, we have previously shown that cord blood (CB) progenitors from high-atopic risk infants demonstrate altered hematopoietic responses. However, whether CB progenitor cell hematopoietic responses are directly altered by microbial stimulation, and what effect maternal atopy has on these responses are unclear. Therefore, this thesis examines the influences of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation (innate immunity), maternal atopy, and adaptive immune stimuli (representative of an atopic milieu) on CB progenitor cell eosinophilopoiesis. We show that CB progenitors from healthy, pregnant women respond to LPS through increased eosinophil-basophil (Eo/B) colony forming units (CFU) via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway (Chapter 2), whereas the presence of maternal atopy (as defined by skin prick test positivity) is associated with reduced CB CD34⁺ cell LPS-induced Eo/B CFU formation (Chapter 3). To investigate the potential mechanism of reduced eosinophilopoiesis in high-atopic risk infants, CB progenitors stimulated with IL-4 (a surrogate <em>ex vivo</em> for maternal atopy), but not IL-13, demonstrate reduced LPS-induced MAPK activation and Eo/B CFU formation (Chapter 4). This novel work provides insight into mechanisms relating to the influence of maternal atopy and/or potential intrauterine exposures (e.g., prenatal cytokines) on the responsiveness of CB progenitor cells to LPS, which may be of key importance for the development of atopic illnesses. These observations may help in the generation of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for childhood atopy.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The eosinophil is a leukocyte whose intracellular mediators are considered to play a central role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, including allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, and which is also involved in immunological responses to parasites. Eosinophil differentiation and maturation from bone marrow progenitors is regulated by interleukin-5 (IL-5), which may be secreted by T helper 2 (Th2) T lymphocytes, and is consistently upregulated in allergic conditions. Eotaxin is a potent chemoattractant for circulating and tissue eosinophils, and the production of this chemokine promotes eosinophil infiltration and accumulation within sites of allergic inflammation.¶ Eosinophils obtained from inflammatory tissues and secretions display an altered phenotype in comparison to peripheral blood eosinophils, with increased surface expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins and adhesion molecules (Hansel et al., 1991), and migration across the microvascular endothelium may also increase their capacity to generate an oxidative burst (Walker et al., 1993; Yamamoto et al., 2000). Eosinophils are phagocytic cells, and have been shown to present simple (no requirement for intracellular processing) and complex antigens to MHC-restricted, antigen-specific T lymphocytes (Del Pozo et al., 1992; Weller et al., 1993). Furthermore, eosinophils express the costimulatory molecules required for effective antigen presentation (Tamura et al., 1996), and ligation of costimulatory molecules on the eosinophil cell surface can induce the release of eosinophil derived cytokines (Woerly et al., 1999; Woerly et al., 2002). Therefore the eosinophil may also regulate immune responses.¶ To date, no studies have demonstrated the ability of eosinophils to modulate activated T lymphocyte function via presentation of relevant antigen in the context of MHC class II (MHC-II), concomitant with Th2 cytokine release. In the experiments described in this thesis, murine eosinophils have been observed to rapidly migrate to sites of antigen deposition within the airways mucosa of naïve mice, suggesting a potential role for this granulocyte in the primary response to inhaled antigen. However, human allergic diseases are often diagnosed after the establishment of allergic responses, and symptom development. Therefore, a murine model of allergic airways disease (AAD) was used to investigate the ability for eosinophils to participate as antigen presenting cells (APCs), and thereby modulate activated T lymphocyte function both in vitro and in vivo. Detailed histological analysis of the pulmonary draining lymph nodes following antigen challenge in sensitised mice revealed a rapid infiltration of eosinophils into this tissue, which preceded the accumulation of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). This suggested that eosinophils were preferentially translocating to the draining lymph nodes following antigen challenge, and that the subsequent accumulation of these cells in the BALF was a consequence of continued antigen delivery to the lower airways.¶ Eosinophil trafficking to lymphoid tissue via the afferent lymphatics was substantiated using electron microscopy of lymph node sections and the intravenous (i.v.) transfer of fluorescently labeled eosinophils, which did not traffic to lymph nodes via the blood. During the resolution of AAD, eosinophils were noted for their persistence in the pulmonary draining lymph nodes. These observations suggested a continued modulation of T cell function by lymph node dwelling eosinophils during AAD resolution, particularly in light of recent observations for draining lymph node T cell proliferation following instillation of antigen-pulsed eosinophils into the allergic mouse lung (Shi et al., 2000).¶ To further investigate the antigen presenting capacity, eosinophils were obtained from the BALF of mice with AAD, and their surface expression of MHC class II (MHC-II) proteins and costimulatory molecules confirmed using flow cytometric analysis. The ability to acquire and process complex antigen both in vitro and in vivo was also confirmed using naturally quenching fluorescenated ovalbumin (OVA), which is degraded into fluorescent peptides by the action of intracellular proteases. Thus, eosinophil expression of the surface molecules necessary for effective antigen presentation was confirmed, as was their ability to process complex antigen. Further investigations revealed that eosinophils can present complex OVA antigen to CD4+ T lymphocytes obtained from the allergic mouse, and to in vitro derived OVA-specific Th2 cells. In the presence of exogenous antigen, eosinophils co-cultured with T lymphocytes were able to induce Th2 cytokine production, and demonstrated an ability for eosinophils to modulate T lymphocyte function in vitro.¶ The ability for eosinophils to act as antigen presenting cells in vivo was also investigated. Eosinophils obtained from the antigen-saturated lungs of OVA sensitised and challenged mice were transferred to the peritoneal cavities of naïve host mice. When subsequently challenged with aerosolised OVA, eosinophil recipients developed a pulmonary eosinophilia similar to that of OVA sensitised and challenged mice. To validate this finding, the experimental procedure was altered to accommodate the use of non-allergy derived eosinophils, which were pulsed with OVA in vitro, prior to transfer into naïve recipients. When subsequently challenged with aerosolised OVA, eosinophil recipients developed a peripheral blood and pulmonary eosinophilia, and stimulation with OVA induced IL-5 and IL-13 cytokine production from pulmonary draining lymph node cells. Notably, the AAD induced by transfer of antigen pulsed eosinophils did not induce detectable OVA-specific IgG1, which may be attributed to the lack of soluble antigen required for B cell antibody production.¶ During the course of these investigations, an OVA T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mouse (OT-II) was procured with a view to defining the interaction between eosinophils and activated T lymphocytes (Barnden et al., 1998). Despite having specificity for the OVA323-339 peptide, an immunodominant epitope that skews naïve T cell responses towards Th2 cytokine release (Janssen et al., 2000), T lymphocytes from the OT-II mouse preferentially secreted IFN-γ in response to stimulation with either OVA peptide or OVA. These mice were further characterised in a mouse model of AAD, and found to be refractory to disease induction and progression, which may be attributed to significant IFN-γ secretion by transgenic CD4+ T lymphocytes during antigen sensitisation. Indeed, these cells were noted for their ability to attenuate pulmonary eosinophilia when transferred to OVA sensitised and challenged wild type mice, although serum OVA-specific IgG1, peripheral blood eosinophilia levels and airways response to methacholine challenge remained intact.¶ Knowledge of the biased Th1 phenotype in naïve OT-II provided a unique opportunity to investigate the fate of T lymphocytes bearing high affinity OVA-specific TCRs following neonatal antigen exposure to soluble OVA. In a previous study, subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of soluble OVA to wild type neonatal mice was suspected to have deleted OVA-specific T cells from the T cell repertoire (Hogan et al., 1998a). Using flow cytometry and TCR specific antibody, the delivery of s.c. OVA to OT-II neonates did not alter transgenic T cell populations in adult mice. Instead, it was surprising to find a skewing towards the Th2 phenotype and loss of IFN-γ secretion following OVA sensitisation and challenge in adult mice. A mechanism for this reprogramming of the transgenic T cell from the Th1 to a Th2 phenotype following OT-II neonatal exposure to soluble OVA is proposed, and further experimentation may validate this hypothesis.¶ In conclusion, eosinophils residing in the allergic lung have the capacity to interact with activated T cells, both within this tissue and the draining lymph nodes. Despite their relative inefficiency as antigen presenting cells (Mawhorter et al., 1994), eosinophils may participate en masse in the serial triggering of activated TCRs, and provide appropriate costimulatory signals that modulate T lymphocyte function. Through the elaboration of Th2 cytokines and stimulation of T cell proliferation, antigen presenting eosinophils may transiently prolong or exacerbate the symptoms of allergic diseases. Alternatively, eosinophils presenting relevant antigens may inhibit T cell activity via degranulation, and such activity has recently been observed in a parasite model (Shinkai et al., 2002). Finally, experiments in the OT-II mouse have provided valuable information to suggest that therapies designed to modulate eosinophil numbers in allergic tissues through the secretion of opposing cytokines such as IFN-γ, may be of limited benefit. The results shown here suggest that airways dysfunction remains intact despite significantly reduced pulmonary eosinophilia

<p>The eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is usually associated with the eosinophil granulocyte. In this thesis the presence and production of this protein has been studied in two other cells. The circulating monocyte was found to contain ECP mRNA and small amounts of ECP, one thousand times less than that found in the eosinophil. The production decreased by differentiation of the myelomonoblastic cell line U937 into a macrophage phenotype. Submucosal lung macrophages did not stain for ECP and alveolar macrophages did not contain ECP mRNA. The circulating neutrophil contains ECP at a level hundred fold less than the eosinophil. We found that the protein is located to the primary granules of the neutrophil but could detect no ECP mRNA in the cell. It was shown in vitro that the protein was taken up by the cell and partly transported to the primary granules. The uptake did not seem to be receptor mediated. Upon stimulation of the neutrophils, ECP previously taken up, was re-secreted. </p><p>The ECP protein is heterogeneous both to molecular characteristics and to function. To evaluate if a genetic component is involved, the ECP gene was analysed in 70 individuals. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP´s) were found, denoted 277(C>T), 434(G>C) and 562(G>C). The two first were located to the mature peptide-coding region and would change the amino acids, arg45cys and arg97thr. The prevalence of the most common SNP, 434, was evaluated in two eosinophil-related diseases, allergy/asthma and Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL). Forty-three HL patients were evaluated and it was found that the 434GG was significantly more prevalent in patients having nodular sclerosis (NS) as compared to other histologies (p=0.03). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was also related to the 434GG genotype (p=0.009). In 209 medical students 434GG was more common (p=0.002) in those who indicated allergy. The genotype was unrelated to the production of IgE antibodies to allergens. In analysis of 76 subjects with asthma it was found that the 434GG genotype was significantly more common among allergic asthmatics (p=0.04). Asthma and HL-NS are characterized by fibrosis and eosinophils and ECP has been suggested in fibrosis development. </p>