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Allergic diseases result in a considerable socioeconomic burden. The incidence of allergic diseases, notably allergic asthma, has risen to high levels for reasons that are not entirely understood. With an increasing knowledge of underlying mechanisms, there is now more potential to target the inflammatory process rather than the overt symptoms. This focuses attention on the role of leukocytes especially Th2 lymphocytes that regulate allergic inflammation and effector cells where eosinophils have received much attention. Eosinophils are thought to be important based on the high numbers that are recruited to sites of allergic inflammation and the potential of these cells to effect both tissue injury and remodelling. It is hoped that future therapy will be directed towards specific leukocyte types, without overtly compromising essential host defence responses. One obvious target is leukocyte recruitment. This necessitates a detailed understanding of underlying mechanisms, particularly those involving soluble chemoattractants signals and cell-cell adhesion molecules.

Eosinophils accumulate in high numbers in the lungs of asthmatic patients. These cells have the ability to induce tissue damage, a capacity that relates to their traditional role in host defense against parasitic worms. On the other hand, eosinophils produce growth factors associated with tissue repair and remodeling, notably TGF-beta1. The relationship of these activities to lung dysfunction in asthma is highly controversial, but recent observations in humans and in animal models add spice to the debate.

1. Histamine (0.004-2 microm) induced a concentration-dependent shape change of human eosinophils, but not of neutrophils or basophils, detected as an increase in forward scatter (FSC) in the gated autofluorescence/forward scatter (GAFS) assay. 2. The histamine-induced eosinophil shape change was completely abolished by thioperamide (10 microm), an H3/H4 receptor antagonist, but was not inhibited by pyrilamine or cimetidine (10 microm), H1 and H2 receptor antagonists, respectively. The H4 receptor agonists, clobenpropit and clozapine (0.004-2 microm), which are also H3 receptor antagonists, both induced eosinophil shape change, which was inhibited by thioperamide (10 microm). The H3/H4 receptor agonists, imetit, R-alpha-methyl histamine and N-alpha-methyl histamine (0.004-2 microm) also induced eosinophil shape change. 3. Histamine induced actin polymerisation (0.015-10 microm), intracellular calcium mobilisation (10-100 microm) and a significant upregulation of expression of the cell adhesion molecule CD11b (0.004-10 microm) in eosinophils, all of which were inhibited by thioperamide (10-100 microm). In addition, the H4 receptor agonist/H3 receptor antagonist clozapine (20 microm) stimulated a rise in intracellular calcium in eosinophils. 4. Activation of H4 receptors by histamine (1 microm) primed eosinophils for increased chemotactic responses to eotaxin, but histamine (0.1-10 microm) did not directly induce chemotaxis of eosinophils. 5. Pertussis toxin (1 microg ml-1) inhibited shape change and actin polymerisation responses induced by histamine showing that these effects are mediated by coupling to a Galphai/o G-protein. 6. This study demonstrates that human eosinophils express functional H4 receptors and may provide a novel target for allergic disease therapy.

Traditionally, traffic and activation of eosinophils in asthmatic airways are thought to take place during the late-phase allergic reaction. The present study tests the hypothesis that when eosinophils are present in the tissue before allergen exposure, as in chronically inflamed asthmatic airways, acute anaphylactic reactions initiate an eosinophil response. Using a guinea-pig allergic model, where eosinophilia is present at baseline conditions, the traffic of resident eosinophils was examined in vivo immediately after allergen challenge. By 2 min after challenge, eosinophils had moved up to apical epithelial positions. Within 10 min, a marked migration of eosinophils into the airway lumen was demonstrated. Along with the allergen-induced egression of eosinophils, acute luminal entry of plasma proteins and eotaxin occurred. Eosinophil egression was effectively inhibited by the antiexudative drug formoterol, whereas the proexudative drug bradykinin could in naive animals evoke a prompt luminal entry of eosinophils. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that acute allergic reactions initiate a prompt transepithelial migration of resident eosinophils. Our data further suggest that this response in part is initiated by the plasma exudation response, which may alter the transepithelial gradient of eosinophil chemoattractants including eotaxin. We propose that prompt eosinophil response is a significant component of the acute phase of allergic reactions when occurring in airways where these cells are already present in the mucosa.

We previously showed in a small group of donors that eosinophils from a subgroup of individuals responded equipotently to CC chemokine ligand (CCL)11/eotaxin and CCL3/macrophage-inflammatory protein-1alpha in assays of eosinophil shape change (CCL3/macrophage-inflammatory protein-1alpha-highly responsive (MHR) donors). In this study, we investigated the functional role of CCL3 in eosinophil responses in 73 donors. MHR donors, identified by their eosinophil shape change responses, represented approximately 19% of the donor pool. Eosinophils from these donors showed increased eosinophil CCR1 expression and also underwent CCL3-mediated chemotaxis and up-regulation of CD11b. All MHR donors gave a history of atopy-associated diseases. In a further study, we prospectively recruited 110 subjects, subdivided into nonatopics or atopics, and investigated expression of CCR1 and CCR3 on eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and neutrophils. Eosinophil CCR1 expression was non-normally distributed in atopics, although higher CCR1 expression levels were not predictive of a diagnosis of atopy or atopic disease. We identified the CCR1 promoter and investigated its function. We found a minimal promoter within 177 bp of the transcription start site, and an upstream enhancer region that facilitated expression in leukocyte cell lines. Collectively, these data demonstrate that MHR individuals form an important subgroup that, when associated with a diagnosis of allergic disease, may require tailored therapy to modulate eosinophil recruitment. Identification of a functional CCR1 promoter will facilitate the study of possible genetic determinants underlying this potentially important clinical phenotype.

Chemokines play critical roles in governing the recruitment and activation of eosinophils at sites of allergic inflammation, particularly the asthmatic lung. However, we know little of how chemokine function is regulated post-translationally. Proteoglycans, consisting of a core protein and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains, are cell surface molecules and components of the extracellular matrix that are able to bind chemokines, whilst heparin is a GAG with therapeutic value in asthma. We examined whether soluble GAG could alter the actions of chemokines in assays of eosinophil activation. Heparin inhibited intracellular calcium flux, respiratory burst and chemotactic responses of eosinophils to CCL11, but not to the chemoattractant C5a, and inhibited binding of CCL11 to CCR3. Heparin also inhibited eosinophil stimulation by CCL11, CCL24, CCL7, CCL13 and CCL5 to differing degrees, which broadly correlated with their relative affinities for heparin. Heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate, but not chondroitin sulfate, also inhibited the actions of CCL11 and CCL13 in assays of cellular shape change and chemotaxis. Following treatment with the sulfation inhibitor chlorate or proteoglycanases, no inhibition of CCL11-induced activity was observed using either eosinophils or a CCR3-expressing transfectant cell line. This suggests that cell surface proteoglycans are not necessary for signaling via CCR3. However, the GAG context in which chemokines are expressed is likely to represent an important level of regulation of allergic inflammation.

The study investigated the role of P-selectin in the responses of eosinophil transmigration and eotaxin generation in vivo elicited by interleukin (IL)-13, as compared with IL-4. Two murine models of leukocyte transmigration were used, migration into cytokine-stimulated peritoneal cavities and through stimulated cremasteric venules, as observed by intravital microscopy. In mice lacking P-selectin, eosinophil infiltration elicited by the cytokines in the peritonitis model was totally inhibited. In the cremaster muscle, however, although spontaneous leukocyte-rolling flux and stimulated leukocyte firm adhesion were inhibited by approximately 97% and approximately 48%, respectively, stimulated transmigration was unaffected. However, IL-13-induced leukocyte transmigration was totally blocked in P-selectin-deficient mice treated with an anti-alpha(4) integrin monoclonal antibody (mAb; PS/2). In comparison, treatment of wild-type mice with the anti-alpha(4) integrin mAb resulted in only partial suppression of IL-13-induced leukocyte transmigration. Significant levels of eotaxin were detected in response to IL-13/IL-4 in both tissues in P-selectin-deficient animals. In conclusion, the regulatory role of P-selectin in leukocyte transmigration elicited by IL-13 appears to be tissue-specific, a phenomenon that is independent of the ability of the cytokine to stimulate eotaxin generation.

We investigated the actions of a panel of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils, and monocytes. Indomethacin alone was a potent and selective inducer of eosinophil and basophil shape change. In eosinophils, indomethacin induced chemotaxis, CD11b up-regulation, respiratory burst, and L-selectin shedding but did not cause up-regulation of CD63 expression. Pretreatment of eosinophils with indomethacin also enhanced subsequent eosinophil shape change induced by eotaxin, although treatment with higher concentrations of indomethacin resulted in a decrease in the expression of the major eosinophil chemokine receptor, CCR3. Indomethacin activities and cell selectivity closely resembled those of prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)). Eosinophil shape change in response to eotaxin was inhibited by pertussis toxin, but indomethacin- and PGD(2)-induced shape change responses were not. Treatment of eosinophils with specific inhibitors of phospholipase C (U-73122), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (LY-294002), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (SB-202190) revealed roles for these pathways in indomethacin signaling. Indomethacin and its analogues may therefore provide a structural basis from which selective PGD(2) receptor small molecule antagonists may be designed and which may have utility in the treatment of allergic inflammatory disease.

Mounting evidence suggests that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) modulates bronchoconstriction and eosinophil function in asthma. We have investigated the role of different chemokines in the eosinophil influx to the pleural cavity after LPS stimulation. Expression of mRNA for eotaxin, regulated on activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha, MIP-1beta, MIP-2, and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 was increased in cells recovered from the mouse pleural cavity 6 h after LPS administration. Eotaxin and RANTES, but not MIP-1alpha, protein levels were also increased in cell-free pleural washes recovered 6 h after LPS stimulation (LPW). Antimurine eotaxin and antimurine RANTES antibodies (Abs) failed to inhibit LPS-induced eosinophil influx into mouse pleural cavity in vivo. Pertussis toxin inhibited LPW-induced eosinophil shape change in vitro, suggesting the involvement of G protein-coupled receptors in LPW signaling. Blockade of CCR3 receptors diminished eosinophil shape change induced by LPW fractions in vitro and LPS-induced eosinophil accumulation in vivo. To investigate further contribution of CC chemokines, we administered a 35-kD CC chemokine neutralizing protein (vCKBP) in vivo. vCKBP inhibited the eosinophil accumulation induced by eotaxin and ovalbumin, but did not block that induced by LPS or LPW. Our data suggest that LPS-induced eosinophil accumulation depends on G protein-coupled CCR3 receptor activation, through a mechanism independent of eotaxin, RANTES, or other vCKBP-inhibitable CC chemokines.

Eotaxin is a small protein that is produced in the lungs of asthmatic patients and is a potent chemoattractant for eosinophils. Eotaxin, a CC chemokine, stimulates the migration of eosinophils from the small blood vessels in the lungs by acting on the CC chemokine receptor CCR3, which is located on the leukocyte cell surface. In the past year, three low molecular weight compounds have been developed that can block this receptor. Such compounds may be developed into orally available drugs aimed at preventing eosinophil recruitment and, hence, the pathogenesis associated with the activation of these cells within the lung tissue.

Eosinophilic leukocytes accumulate in high numbers in the lungs of asthmatic patients, and are believed to be important in the pathogenesis of asthma. A potent eosinophil chemoattractant is produced in the asthmatic lung. This small protein, the chemokine eotaxin, is synthesized by a number of different cell types, and is stimulated by interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, which are produced by T-helper (Th)2 lymphocytes. Low molecular weight compounds have been developed that can block the eotaxin receptor C-C chemokine receptor (CCR)3, and prevent stimulation by eotaxin. This provides the potential for orally available drugs that can prevent eosinophil recruitment into the lung and the associated damage and dysfunction.

We describe a small molecule chemokine receptor antagonist, UCB35625 (the trans-isomer J113863 published by Banyu Pharmaceutical Co., patent WO98/04554), which is a potent, selective inhibitor of CCR1 and CCR3. Nanomolar concentrations of UCB35625 were sufficient to inhibit eosinophil shape change responses to MIP-1alpha, MCP-4, and eotaxin, while greater concentrations could inhibit the chemokine-induced internalization of both CCR1 and CCR3. UCB35625 also inhibited the CCR3-mediated entry of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 primary isolate 89.6 into the glial cell line, NP-2 (IC(50) = 57 nm). Chemotaxis of transfected cells expressing either CCR1 or CCR3 was inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of the compound (IC(50) values of CCR1-MIP-1alpha = 9.6 nm, CCR3-eotaxin = 93.7 nm). However, competitive ligand binding assays on the same transfectants revealed that considerably larger concentrations of UCB35625 were needed for effective ligand displacement than were needed for the inhibition of receptor function. Thus, it appears that the compound may interact with a region present in both receptors that inhibits the conformational change necessary to initiate intracellular signaling. By virtue of its potency at the two major eosinophil chemokine receptors, UCB35625 is a prototypic therapy for the treatment of eosinophil-mediated inflammatory disorders, such as asthma and as an inhibitor of CCR3-mediated human immunodeficiency virus-1 entry.

Eosinophils have been implicated in a broad range of diseases, notably allergic conditions (for example, asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis) and other inflammatory disorders (for example, inflammatory bowel disease, eosinophilic gastroenteritis and pneumonia). These disease states are characterized by an accumulation of eosinophils in tissues. Severe tissue damage ensues as eosinophils release their highly cytotoxic granular proteins. Defining the mechanisms that control recruitment of eosinophils to tissues is fundamental to understanding these disease processes and provides targets for novel drug therapy. An important discovery in this context was the identification of an eosinophil-specific chemoattractant, eotaxin. Over the past six years there has been intensive investigation into the biological effects of eotaxin and its role in specific disease processes and this is the subject of this review.

In previous studies we found that guinea pigs demonstrate an increase in airway reactivity and eosinophil numbers 4 days after a respiratory infection with parainfluenza-3 (PI3) virus. Clinical data support the possible involvement of eosinophils in virus-induced airway hyperresponsiveness. Eotaxin, a newly discovered chemokine, could be involved in eosinophil migration to the airways. In this study, eosinophil numbers were counted in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and related with eotaxin concentrations in BAL fluid 1, 2, 3, and 4 days after intratracheal PI3 virus administration. On day 1, blood eosinophils increased by more than 200% (P < 0.01). The number of eosinophils were only slightly enhanced from day 2 to day 4 (40%-70%). BAL fluid eosinophils were not increased on day 1 but were significantly elevated on day 2 (180%) and remained high on days 3-4 (>300%, P < 0. 05). This increase in lung eosinophils correlated well with eotaxin levels measured in BAL fluid. There was no significant increase in eotaxin on day 1 following PI3 infection; however, on days 2-4 eotaxin levels in BAL fluid were significantly elevated (four-sixfold increase) when compared with medium inoculated controls. Eotaxin appears to play an important role in eosinophil accumulation in guinea pig lung following PI3 infection.

To investigate eosinophil stimulation by chemokines we developed a sensitive assay of leukocyte shape change, the gated autofluorescence/forward scatter assay. Leukocyte shape change responses are mediated through rearrangements of the cellular cytoskeleton in a dynamic process typically resulting in a polarized cell and are essential to the processes of leukocyte migration from the microcirculation into sites of inflammation. We examined the actions of the chemokines eotaxin, eotaxin-2, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), MCP-3, MCP-4, RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha), and IL-8 on leukocytes in mixed cell suspensions and focused on the responses of eosinophils to C-C chemokines. Those chemokines acting on CCR3 induced a rapid shape change in eosinophils from all donors; of these, eotaxin and eotaxin-2 were the most potent. Responses to MCP-4 were qualitatively different, showing marked reversal of shape change responses with agonist concentration and duration of treatment. In contrast, MIP-1alpha induced a potent response in eosinophils from a small and previously undescribed subgroup of donors via a non-CCR3 pathway likely to be CCR1 mediated. Incubation of leukocytes at 37 degrees C for 90 min in the absence of extracellular calcium up-regulated responses to MCP-4 and MIP-1alpha in the majority of donors, and there was a small increase in responses to eotaxin. MIP-1alpha responsiveness in vivo may therefore be a function of both CCR1 expression levels and the regulated efficiency of coupling to intracellular signaling pathways. The observed up-regulation of MIP-1alpha signaling via non-CCR3 pathways may play a role in eosinophil recruitment in inflammatory states such as occurs in the asthmatic lung.

Certain C-C chemokines, signaling via the eotaxin receptor C-C chemokine receptor-3 (CCR3), are thought to be central mediators of eosinophil accumulation in allergic inflammation. To investigate the role of CCR3 in vivo, we cloned the guinea pig eotaxin receptor (guinea pig CCR3) from a genomic DNA library. We isolated a single-exon open reading frame coding for a 358-amino acid chemokine receptor protein with 67 and 69% homology to human and murine CCR3, respectively. When expressed in stable transfectants, this receptor bound 125I-labeled guinea pig eotaxin, 125I-labeled human monocyte chemotactic protein-3, and 125I-labeled human RANTES. In chemotaxis assays, guinea pig CCR3 transfectants responded only to guinea pig eotaxin, with a maximal effect at 100 nM. mAbs were raised that bound selectively to both guinea pig CCR3 transfectants and guinea pig eosinophils. One of these mAbs, 2A8, blocked both ligand binding to transfectants and their chemotaxis in response to eotaxin. The Ab also inhibited chemotaxis and the elevation of cytosolic calcium in guinea pig eosinophils in response to eotaxin. F(ab')2 fragments of 2A8 were prepared that retained the ability to inhibit eosinophil calcium responses to eotaxin. Pretreatment of (111)In-labeled eosinophils in vitro with F(ab')2 2A8 selectively inhibited their accumulation in response to eotaxin in vivo. These data demonstrate that functional blockade of eosinophil chemokine receptors can be achieved in vivo and provide further support for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs targeting eosinophil recruitment through chemokine receptor antagonism.

Mobilization of bone marrow eosinophils is a critical early step in their trafficking to the lung during allergic inflammatory reactions. We have shown previously that the cytokine interleukin (IL)-5, generated during an allergic inflammatory reaction in the guinea pig, acts systemically to mobilize eosinophils from the bone marrow. Here, we have investigated the mechanisms underlying this release process. Examination by light and electron microscopy revealed the rapid migration of eosinophils from the hematopoietic compartment and across the bone marrow sinus endothelium in response to IL-5. Using an in situ perfusion system of the guinea pig hind limb, we showed that IL-5 stimulated a dose-dependent selective release of eosinophils from the bone marrow. Eosinophils released from the bone marrow in response to IL-5 expressed increased levels of beta2 integrin and a decrease in L-selectin, but no change in alpha4 integrin levels. A beta2 integrin-blocking antibody markedly inhibited the mobilization of eosinophils from the bone marrow stimulated by IL-5. In contrast, an alpha4 integrin blocking antibody increased the rate of eosinophil mobilization induced by IL-5. In vitro we demonstrated that IL-5 stimulates the selective chemokinesis of bone marrow eosinophils, a process markedly inhibited by two structurally distinct inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, wortmannin and LY294002. Wortmannin was also shown to block eosinophil release induced by IL-5 in the perfused bone marrow system. The parallel observations on the bone marrow eosinophil release process and responses in isolated eosinophils in vitro suggest that eosinophil chemokinesis is the driving force for release in vivo and that this release process is regulated by alpha4 and beta2 integrins acting in opposite directions.

The CC-chemokine eotaxin is a potent eosinophil chemoattractant that stimulates recruitment of eosinophils from the blood to sites of allergic inflammation. Mobilization from the bone marrow is an important early step in eosinophil trafficking during the allergic inflammatory response. In this paper we examine the potential of eotaxin to mobilize eosinophils and their progenitors from bone marrow. Eotaxin stimulated selective, dose-dependent chemotaxis of guinea pig bone marrow eosinophils in vitro. Intravenous injection of eotaxin (1 nmol/kg) into guinea pigs in vivo stimulated a rapid blood eosinophilia (from 3.9 +/- 1.2 to 28 +/- 9.9 x 10(4) eosinophils/mL at 30 minutes) and a corresponding decrease in the number of eosinophils retained in the femoral marrow (from 9.0 +/- 0. 8 to 4.8 +/- 0.8 x 10(6) eosinophils per femur). To show a direct release of eosinophils from the bone marrow an in situ perfusion system of the guinea pig femoral bone marrow was developed. Infusion of eotaxin into the arterial supply of the perfused femoral marrow stimulated a rapid and selective release of eosinophils into the draining vein. In addition, eotaxin stimulated the release of colony-forming progenitor cells. The cytokine interleukin-5 was chemokinetic for bone marrow eosinophils and exhibited a marked synergism with eotaxin with respect to mobilization of mature eosinophils from the femoral marrow. Thus, eotaxin may be involved in both the mobilization of eosinophils and their progenitors from the bone marrow into the blood and in their subsequent recruitment into sites of allergic inflammation.

The CC chemokine eotaxin, originally purified from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of sensitized guinea pigs following allergen challenge, is a potent eosinophil-selective chemoattractant. In the present study, we have used (111)In-eosinophils and human eotaxin to characterize the profile of chemokine-induced eosinophil accumulation in vivo in rat skin. Intradermally injected eotaxin caused a dose-dependent accumulation of (111)In-eosinophils. Time course studies indicated that the response was rapid, since all the accumulation occurred within the first 1 to 2 h of eotaxin injection. The i.v. administration of anti-intercellular adhesion molecule-1, anti-vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, or anti-alpha4 integrin mAbs significantly inhibited the eosinophil accumulation induced by 100 pmol of human eotaxin by 73, 43, and 67%, respectively. Further, when (111)In-eosinophils were pretreated in vitro with anti-alpha4 integrin or anti-beta2 integrin mAbs, or with a combination of both mAbs, eotaxin-induced responses in vivo were reduced by 52, 49, and 68%, respectively. Eosinophil accumulation induced by intradermal IL-4, but not that induced by TNF-alpha or leukotriene B4, appeared to be mediated in part by endogenously generated eotaxin. Anti-eotaxin Abs significantly inhibited (54%) the later phases (24-28 h) but not the early phase (0-4 h) of the response to IL-4. This was consistent with eotaxin mRNA expression peaking at 18 h after IL-4 injection. Our findings show that human eotaxin is a potent inducer of eosinophil accumulation in vivo, this response being dependent on alpha4 integrin/vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and beta2 integrin/intercellular adhesion molecule-1 adhesion pathways. Further, the eosinophil accumulation in response to IL-4 is partly mediated by endogenously generated eotaxin.

Selective eosinophil recruitment into tissues is a characteristic feature of allergic diseases. Chemokines are effective leukocyte chemoattractants and may play an important role in mediating eosinophil recruitment in various allergic conditions in man. Here, we describe a novel mouse model of eosinophil recruitment in which we have compared the in vivo chemoattractant activity of different C-C chemokines. Furthermore, we describe the use of antibodies to chemokines and receptor blockade to address the endogenous mechanisms involved in eosinophil recruitment in a late-phase allergic reaction in mouse skin. Intradermal injection of mEotaxin and mMIP-1alpha, but not mMCP-1, mRANTES, mMCP-5, or mMIP-1beta, induced significant 111In-eosinophil recruitment in mouse skin. Significant 111In-eosinophil recruitment was also observed in an active cutaneous anaphylactic reaction. Pretreatment of skin sites with antieotaxin antiserum, but not an antiMIP-1alpha antibody, suppressed 111In-eosinophil recruitment in this delayed-onset allergic reaction. Similarly, desensitization of the eosinophil eotaxin receptor CCR3 with mEotaxin, or blockade of the receptor with metRANTES, significantly inhibited 111In-eosinophil recruitment in the allergic reaction. These results demonstrate an important role for endogenous eotaxin in mediating the 111In-eosinophil recruitment in allergic inflammation, and suggest that blockade of the CCR3 receptor is a valid strategy to inhibit eosinophil migration in vivo.

Challenge of the airways of sensitized guinea pigs with aerosolized ovalbumin resulted in an early phase of microvascular protein leakage and a delayed phase of eosinophil accumulation in the airway lumen, as measured using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Immunoreactive eotaxin levels rose in airway tissue and BAL fluid to a peak at 6 h falling to low levels by 12 h. Eosinophil numbers in the tissue correlated with eotaxin levels until 6 h but eosinophils persisted until the last measurement time point at 24 h. In contrast, few eosinophils appeared in BAL over the first 12 h, major trafficking through the airway epithelium occurring at 12-24 h when eotaxin levels were low. Constitutive eotaxin was present in BAL fluid. Both constitutive and allergen-induced eosinophil chemoattractant activity in BAL fluid was neutralized by an antibody to eotaxin. Allergen-induced eotaxin appeared to be mainly in airway epithelium and macrophages, as detected by immunostaining. Allergen challenge of the lung resulted in a rapid release of bone marrow eosinophils into the blood. An antibody to IL-5 suppressed bone marrow eosinophil release and lung eosinophilia, without affecting lung eotaxin levels. Thus, IL-5 and eotaxin appear to cooperate in mediating a rapid transfer of eosinophils from the bone marrow to the lung in response to allergen challenge.

Chemokines (chemoattractant cytokines) induce potent and selective chemotaxis of leukocyte subsets in vitro. Here, we review briefly the chemokines shown to induce eosinophil chemotaxis in vitro and describe a novel model for the study of the ability of chemokines to stimulate eosinophil migration in vivo. Eosinophils were purified from the blood of mice over-expressing the IL-5 gene and labelled with 111In. Only the C-C chemokines, eotaxin and MIP-1 alpha, but not RANTES, MCP-1, MCP-3, MCP-4, MIP-1 beta, KC and MIP-2, effectively induced the recruitment of 111 In-eosinophils in mouse skin. We suggest that this mouse model will be useful in assessing the role of endogenously-generated chemokines in mediating eosinophil migration to sites of allergic inflammation in vivo.

Blood eosinophilia and tissue infiltration by eosinophils are frequently observed in allergic inflammation and parasitic infections. This selective accumulation of eosinophils suggested the existence of endogenous eosinophil-selective chemoattractants. We have discovered a novel eosinophil-selective chemoattractant which we called eotaxin in an animal model of allergic airways disease. Eotaxin is generated in both allergic and non-allergic bronchopulmonary inflammation. The early increase in eotaxin paralleled eosinophil infiltration in the lung tissue in both models. An antibody to IL-5 suppressed lung eosinophilia, correlating with an inhibition of eosinophil release from bone marrow, without affecting eotaxin generation. This suggests that endogenous IL-5 is important for eosinophil migration but does not appear to be a stimulus for eotaxin production. Constitutive levels of eotaxin observed in guinea-pig lung may be responsible for the basal lung eosinophilia observed in this species. Allergen-induced eotaxin was present mainly in the epithelium and alveolar macrophages, as detected by immunostaining. In contrast there was no upregulation of eotaxin by the epithelial cells following the injection of sephadex beads and the alveolar macrophage and mononuclear cells surrounding the granuloma were the predominant positive staining cells. Eotaxin and related chemokines acting through the CCR3 receptor may play a major role in eosinophil recruitment in allergic inflammation and parasitic diseases and thus offer and attractive target for therapeutic intervention.

1. Eosinophils are thought to play an important role in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases and pharmacological suppression of their recruitment is considered to be of therapeutic benefit. In the present study we have assessed and compared the effects of treatment with dexamethasone and cyclosporin A on the accumulation of 111In-labelled eosinophils and local oedema formation in sites of acute inflammation in guinea-pig skin. 2. When injected locally 150 min prior to i.d. administration of antigen in a passive cutaneous anaphylactic (PCA) reaction, dexamethasone (10(-9) to 3 x 10(-7) mol per site) dose-dependently inhibited oedema formation by up to 50%. Similarly, oedema formation induced by PAF and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), but not by zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP), was significantly inhibited by dexamethasone. In contrast, 111In-eosinophil accumulation measured in response to i.d. injection of PAF, LPS and ZAP or in the PCA reaction was not altered. 3. Systemic treatment with dexamethasone (4 mg kg-1, i.v., 150 min pretreatment period) inhibited both oedema formation and 111In-eosinophil accumulation induced by PAF, ZAP, LPS and in the PCA reaction. 4. The effects of i.d. injection of cyclohexamide (2 x 10(-7) mol per site) on 111In-eosinophil accumulation and oedema formation induced by PAF, ZAP or in a PCA reaction were evaluated in order to assess the dependency of these responses on protein synthesis. Cycloheximide had no effect on the responses measured. In contrast, 111In-eosinophil accumulation, but oedema formation, induced by LPS was inhibited by 30%. 5. Acute (10 mg kg-1, i.v., 15 min pretreatment) or prolonged (10 mg kg-1, s.c. daily for 3 days) systemic treatment with cyclosporin A had no effect on 111In-eosinophil accumulation or oedema formation induced by PAF, ZAP, LPS or in the PCA reaction. 6. In conclusion, we demonstrate preferential inhibitory effects of dexamethasone on 111In-eosinophil accumulation according to its site of administration. In addition we show that dexamethasone inhibits protein synthesis-independent acute inflammation in guinea-pig skin. Finally, our results do not support the concept that eosinophils are an important cellular site of action for the inhibitory effects of cyclosporin A in a guinea-pig model of allergic inflammation.

The presence of eosinophils and their products in tissues is frequently associated with the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation. A better understanding of how these cells are recruited from the microcirculation will help in the development of therapies targeted at allergic disorders. Here, Mauro Teixeira, Timothy Williams and Paul Hellewell describe the current concepts of eosinophil accumulation, examine the potential ways of modulating this process, and discuss whether antagonists of eosinophil-specific mediators or functional antagonists would be the preferred therapies.

Experiments were designed to study the effect of systemically administered IL-5 on local eosinophil accumulation induced by the intradermal injection of the chemokine eotaxin in the guinea pig. Intravenous interleukin-5 (IL-5) stimulated a rapid and dramatic increase in the numbers of accumulating eosinophils induced by i.d.-injected eotaxin and, for comparison, leukotriene B4. The numbers of locally accumulating eosinophils correlated directly with a rapid increase in circulating eosinophils: circulating eosinophil numbers were 13-fold higher 1 h after intravenous IL-5 (18.3 pmol/kg). This increase in circulating cells corresponded with a reduction in the number of displaceable eosinophils recovered after flushing out the femur bone marrow cavity. Intradermal IL-5, at the doses tested, did not induce significant eosinophil accumulation. We propose that these experiments simulate important early features of the tissue response to local allergen exposure in a sensitized individual, with eosinophil chemoattractant chemokines having an important local role in eosinophil recruitment from blood microvessels, and IL-5 facilitating this process by acting remotely as a hormone to stimulate the release into the circulation of a rapidly mobilizable pool of bone marrow eosinophils. This action of IL-5 would be complementary to the other established activities of IL-5 that operate over a longer time course.

Guinea pig peritoneal eosinophils stimulated by platelet-activating factor (PAF), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and human recombinant C5a (C5a) undergo a rapid concentration-dependent and partially reversible homotypic aggregation as assessed by changes in light transmission. The phorbol ester phorbol myristate acetate similarly induces a concentration-dependent aggregation, which is, however, slower in onset, takes longer to reach maximal aggregation, and is irreversible. In addition, we confirmed, using light microscopy, that these agonist-induced changes in light transmission do indeed represent true homotypic aggregation. We further characterized the aggregation response and showed that there is homologous but little heterologous desensitization when PAF and LTB4 are used as stimuli. A requirement for both Ca2+ and Mg2+ for full manifestation of agonist-induced aggregation was observed. LTB4- and PAF-induced superoxide anion generation is enhanced by the diacyglycerol kinase inhibitor R59022, whereas aggregation induced by LTB4, but not PAF, is augmented. Lastly, we show that eosinophil aggregation is partially dependent on the adhesion glycoprotein CD18. In summary, therefore, we believe that eosinophil aggregation provides a useful and reliable measure of eosinophil activation.

1. The effect of the dihydropyridine, platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist, UK-74,505, on leucocyte accumulation and oedema formation in guinea-pig skin was investigated. The inflammatory reactions studied were elicited by exogenous mediators, a passive cutaneous anaphylactic (PCA) reaction and zymosan particles. 2. Leucocyte accumulation and oedema formation were measured as the local accumulation of i.v. administered 111In-labelled neutrophils or eosinophils together with 125I-labelled albumin. UK-74,505 was either administered i.v. or used to pretreat the radiolabelled leucocytes in vitro prior to their last wash and injection into recipient animals. 3. In vitro, UK-74,505 inhibited PAF-induced elevations in cytoplasmic levels of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in fura-2-loaded guinea-pig neutrophils and eosinophils with IC50 values of 10(-9) M and 7 x 10(-9) M respectively. Neutrophils and eosinophils pretreated with 10(-7) M and 10(-6) M UK-74,505 respectively, and maintained at 37 degrees C, were unresponsive to PAF for the 4 h period investigated. 4. In vivo, using 2 h test periods, i.v. UK-74,505 (0.5 and 2.5 mg kg-1) inhibited the accumulation of 111In-neutrophils, 111In-eosinophils and oedema formation induced by intradermal PAF, but had no effect on responses elicited by leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP, used as a source of C5a des Arg). UK-74,505 (2.5 mg kg-1) was also without an effect on response induced by a PCA reaction but significantly suppressed the 111In-eosinophil accumulation following the intradermal administration of zymosan particles. The 111In-neutrophil accumulation induced by zymosan particles was not, however, affected by UK-74,505. 5. In a second series of in vivo experiments, "'In-leucocytes were pretreated in vitro with UK-74,505 prior to their last wash and injection into recipient animals. Radiolabelled neutrophils, and eosinophils were pretreated with 10-7 M and 10-6 M UK-74,505 respectively, concentrations previously shown to block the leucocyte responses to PAF in vitro for up to 4 h. The in vitro pretreatment of the cells with the PAF antagonist, whilst not affecting the responses to intradermally-injected PAF, suppressed the"'In-eosinophil accumulation response induced by zymosan particles.6. The results of this study indicate that PAF is not involved in neutrophil accumulation, eosinophil accumulation and oedema formation induced by LTB4, ZAP and a PCA reaction. Endogenous PAF does, however, appear to have a role in zymosan-induced eosinophil accumulation but not neutrophil accumulation, suggesting the existence of different inflammatory pathways in the induction of neutrophil and eosinophil accumulation in vivo. Furthermore, while leucocyte accumulation induced by exogenous PAF does not appear to involve leucocyte PAF receptors, the mechanism by which endogenous PAF mediates the zymosan-induced eosinophil accumulation appears dependent on the expression of PAF receptors on eosinophils.

1. Eosinophil accumulation and plasma extravasation are features of type I allergic responses. In an attempt to characterize the mediators of these responses, we have examined the local accumulation of 111In-eosinophils and leakage of 125I-human serum albumin (125I-HSA) during passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reactions and in response to defined inflammatory mediators in the guinea-pig. Animals were passively sensitized by intradermal injection of anti-bovine gamma globulin antibody (50 microliters, 1/50 dilution). After 20-24 h, animals were injected intravenously with 111In-eosinophils and 125I-HSA for the measurement of cell accumulation and plasma leakage, respectively. 2. When injected into sensitized sites, antigen caused a dose-related increase in the accumulation of 111In-eosinophils and plasma leakage in guinea-pig skin. Time course experiments over 24 h revealed that the maximal rate of 111In-eosinophil accumulation occurred over the first 90 min, with little accumulation at later time points. Plasma leakage was completed within the first 30 min after challenge. Responses to the mast cell degranulator, compound 48/80, exhibited very similar responses to the PCA reaction. 3. Co-injection of antigen with the PAF antagonist, WEB 2086 (10(-7) mol/site) or the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, PF 5901 (10(-7) mol/site) did not significantly alter the accumulation of 111In-eosinophils or plasma leakage, whereas these drug doses abolished responses to exogenous PAF (10(-9) mol/site) and arachidonic acid (AA, 3 x 10(-8) mol/site), respectively. The H1 receptor antagonist chlorpheniramine (2.5 x 10(-8) mol/site) did not reduce antigen-induced 111In-eosinophil accumulation. Drug combinations were also injected with antigen into sensitized sites, but were unable to reduce "'In-eosinophil accumulation.4. These results indicate that anaphylactic eosinophil accumulation in this model involves mediators other than histamine, PAF or lipoxygenase products. This is in contrast to plasma leakage in this reaction, which can be abolished by a combination of antagonists blocking these mediators.

1. Intradermal injection of the complement fragment C5a des Arg induces local oedema formation that, in rabbits and man, is dependent on circulating neutrophils. Monoclonal antibodies to the leukocyte adhesion molecule CD11/CD18 block neutrophil accumulation and prevent neutrophil-dependent oedema formation. The role of CD11/CD18 in mediating eosinophil accumulation in vivo is less established. In this study we have used an anti-human CD18 monoclonal antibody, 6.5E, to investigate the neutrophil-dependency of oedema formation induced by C5a des Arg in guinea-pig skin. We also studied the role of CD18 in mediating eosinophil accumulation in the same model. 2. Stimulated adhesion of 111In-labelled guinea-pig neutrophils and eosinophils to serum-coated plastic was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by 6.5E suggesting that the monoclonal antibody recognizes and blocks the guinea-pig CD18 adhesion molecule. 3. The accumulation of 111In-labelled neutrophils induced by zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP, as a source of C5a des Arg) in skin sites was reduced by up to 89% in animals treated intravenously with F(ab')2 fragments of 6.5E. ZAP-induced accumulation of 111In-labelled eosinophils was also greatly reduced (by up to 78%) by treatment with 6.5E. 4. Despite the inhibition of ZAP-induced neutrophil accumulation by 6.5E, local oedema formation in the same skin sites was unaffected, except at the top dose of ZAP, by treatment with the anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody, suggesting that the oedema response was largely neutrophil-independent. Indeed, ZAP-induced oedema formation was reduced by up to 81% by the H1 receptor antagonist, mepyramine. 5. Accumulation of 111 In-labelled eosinophils in a passive cutaneous anaphylactic (PCA) reaction was also blocked by treatment with 6.5E, while oedema formation in the same skin sites was unaffected.Intradermal injection of cationic protein-containing extracts of Schistosoma mansoni larvae also induced the accumulation of 111 In-labelled neutrophils and eosinophils which was abrogated by intravenous 6.5E.In contrast, extract-induced local oedema formation was similar in control and 6.5E-treated guinea-pigs.6. In summary, the local accumulation of radiolabelled neutrophils at sites of inflammation in guinea pigskin was dependent on the adhesion molecule CD18 while, in contrast, there was no evidence for neutrophil-dependent oedema formation in this species. Accumulation of radiolabelled eosinophils was also dependent on CD18.

Eosinophil accumulation is a prominent feature of allergic inflammatory reactions, such as those occurring in the lung of the allergic asthmatic, but the endogenous chemoattractants involved have not been identified. We have investigated this in an established model of allergic inflammation, using in vivo systems both to generate and assay relevant activity. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was taken from sensitized guinea pigs at intervals after aerosol challenge with ovalbumin. BAL fluid was injected intradermally in unsensitized assay guinea pigs and the accumulation of intravenously injected 111In-eosinophils was measured. Activity was detected at 30 min after allergen challenge, peaking from 3 to 6 h and declining to low levels by 24 h. 3-h BAL fluid was purified using high performance liquid chromatography techniques in conjunction with the skin assay. Microsequencing revealed a novel protein from the C-C branch of the platelet factor 4 superfamily of chemotactic cytokines. The protein, "eotaxin," exhibits homology of 53% with human MCP-1, 44% with guinea pig MCP-1, 31% with human MIP-1 alpha, and 26% with human RANTES. Laser desorption time of flight mass analysis gave four different signals (8.15, 8.38, 8.81, and 9.03 kD), probably reflecting differential O-glycosylation. Eotaxin was highly potent, inducing substantial 111In-eosinophil accumulation at a 1-2 pmol dose in the skin, but did not induce significant 111In-neutrophil accumulation. Eotaxin was a potent stimulator of both guinea pig and human eosinophils in vitro. Human recombinant RANTES, MIP-1 alpha, and MCP-1 were all inactive in inducing 111In-eosinophil accumulation in guinea pig skin; however, evidence was obtained that eotaxin shares a binding site with RANTES on guinea pig eosinophils. This is the first description of a potent eosinophil chemoattractant cytokine generated in vivo and suggests the possibility that similar molecules may be important in the human asthmatic lung.

Eotaxin is a novel C-C chemokine purified from the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of actively sensitised guinea-pigs after aerosol allergen challenge. In this study we show that eotaxin induced a dose-dependent increase in both intracellular-free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and aggregation of guinea-pig eosinophils in vitro. Intradermally injected eotaxin induced the accumulation of [111In]eosinophils in naive guinea-pig skin in vivo, without oedema-inducing activity; the latter emerging in separate BAL fluid HPLC fractions. Aerosol exposure of naive guinea-pigs to eotaxin in vivo caused a selective increase in eosinophils in BAL fluid. Thus, eotaxin activates guinea-pig eosinophils in vitro and causes a selective eosinophil accumulation in the lung in vivo. Eotaxin and related molecules are potentially important endogenous signalling substances in allergic reactions in vivo.

1. Prostaglandins possess both pro- and anti-inflammatory actions depending on their route of administration and the experimental model used. In this study, we have investigated the effect of locally injected prostaglandins on oedema formation, neutrophil accumulation and eosinophil accumulation in inflammatory responses in guinea-pig skin. 2. Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) significantly enhanced local oedema formation induced by zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP), bradykinin and in a passive cutaneous anaphylactic (PCA) reaction. The accumulation of ZAP-induced 111In-labelled neutrophils was also significantly enhanced by PGE1. In addition, the prostacyclin analogue, iloprost, enhanced ZAP-induced responses. 3. In contrast PGE1 decreased the accumulation of 111In-labelled eosinophils in skin sites. This was demonstrated on eosinophil accumulation and local oedema formation induced by PAF, compound 48/80 and in the PCA reaction. PGE2 also suppressed eosinophil accumulation while iloprost had no detectable effect. 4. Isoprenaline inhibited eosinophil accumulation in a dose-dependent manner with no effect on local oedema formation, except in the case of responses to ZAP where suppression was observed. 5. The vasodilator neuropeptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), enhanced local oedema formation but had no detectable effect on eosinophil accumulation. 6. In conclusion, the magnitude of a given response to an inflammatory mediator in vivo depends on the net effect of stimulation of several cell types e.g. arteriolar smooth muscle cells, microvascular endothelial cells, mast cells and accumulating leukocytes. In this study, we have demonstrated that different components of the inflammatory response in guinea-pig skin can be differentially modulated by E-type prostaglandins and isoprenaline, suggesting that cyclic AMP has an important regulatory role.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a neutrophil chemoattractant cytokine. Initially IL-8 appeared to exhibit specificity for neutrophils over other cells of the immune system. However, several recent studies have shown that this mediator can also activate other leucocyte types in vitro. In this study we have used an in vivo model of local [111In]leucocyte accumulation in the guinea-pig and an in vitro assay of leucocyte activation (changes in cytosolic-free Ca2+) to investigate the eosinophil chemoattractant activity of IL-8. The intradermal injection of recombinant human (rh)IL-8 induced a dose-dependent accumulation of intravenously administered [111In]eosinophils into the skin sites over 4 hr. Time-course experiments revealed that this cell infiltration was delayed in onset, occurring between 1 and 2 hr after injection of IL-8. The delay may indicate that IL-8 operates via an indirect mechanism. In contrast, eosinophil accumulation induced by the complement fragment C5a occurred within the first hour following injection. Other human cytokines, IL-1, IL-3, IL-5, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), were not eosinophil chemoattractants in this in vivo test system. Direct activation of eosinophils by IL-8 was demonstrated in vitro by a transient elevation in cytoplasmic-free Ca2+ levels where it was less potent than either rhC5a or leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Experiments using [111In]neutrophils in vivo indicated that rhIL-8 and rhC5a were similar in potency in inducing local neutrophil infiltration into guinea-pig skin. The demonstration of the eosinophil chemoattractant activity of IL-8 in vivo raises the possibility that this cytokine, or a structurally related molecule, contributes towards eosinophil infiltration in a number of inflammatory conditions such as asthma, helminthic infections and adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Using an in vivo test system, the role of the beta 1 integrin very late activation antigen-4 (VLA-4) in eosinophil accumulation in allergic and nonallergic inflammatory reactions was investigated. Eosinophil infiltration and edema formation were measured as the local accumulation of intravenously injected 111In-labeled eosinophils and 125I-human serum albumin. The inflammatory reactions investigated were a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction and responses elicited by intradermal soluble inflammatory mediators (platelet-activating factor, leukotriene B4, C5a des Arg), arachidonic acid, and zymosan particles. The in vitro pretreatment of 111In-eosinophils with the anti-VLA-4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) HP1/2, which crossreacts with guinea pig eosinophils, suppressed eosinophil accumulation in all the inflammatory reactions investigated. Eosinophil accumulation was inhibited to the same extent when mAb HP1/2 was administered intravenously. It is interesting that HP1/2 had no effect on stimulated edema formation. These results suggest a role for VLA-4 in eosinophil accumulation in vivo and indicate a dissociation between the inflammatory events of eosinophil accumulation and edema formation.

Eosinophils are implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of allergic inflammatory diseases such as asthma. Several substances have been shown to be chemotactic for eosinophils in vitro, but the inflammatory mediators involved in the accumulation of eosinophils in vivo are as yet unidentified. In this study we have developed a system to measure the accumulation of 111In-eosinophils in guinea-pig skin in vivo. Horse serum-induced guinea-pig peritoneal eosinophils were radiolabelled with 111In and injected intravenously into recipient animals. 125I-albumin was also injected intravenously in order to measure local oedema formation simultaneously. A range of putative mediators was injected intradermally and responses measured for up to 2 hr. Of the mediators tested, guinea-pig C5a des Arg in zymosan-activated plasma was the most active. Recombinant human C5a (rHC5a) was also highly active, but less than the guinea-pig material. C5a des Arg in maximally activated plasma induced a 1500% increase in eosinophil accumulation, while rHC5a (10(-10) mol dose) induced a 600% increase. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) were also tested for comparison. With respect to 111In-eosinophil accumulation, the order of potency of the mediators tested was as follows: guinea-pig C5a des Arg greater than LTB4 greater than PAF. In contrast, the order of potency of the mediators with respect to oedema formation was: PAF greater than guinea-pig C5a des Arg greater than LTB4. The techniques described will facilitate analysis of the mechanisms involved in eosinophil accumulation in defined inflammatory reactions.