Tumor-associated eosinophilia has been observed in numerous human cancers and several tumor models in animals, however, the details surrounding this eosinophilia remain largely undefined and anecdotal. We used a B16-F10 melanoma cell injection model to demonstrate that eosinophil infiltration of tumors occurred from the earliest palpable stages with significant accumulations only in the necrotic and capsule regions. Furthermore, the presence of diffuse extracellular matrix staining for eosinophil major basic protein was restricted to the necrotic areas of tumors indicating that eosinophil degranulation was limited to this region. Antibody-mediated depletion of CD4 + T cells and adoptive transfer of eosinophils suggested, respectively, that the accumulation of eosinophils is not associated with Th2-dependent immune responses and that recruitment is a dynamic ongoing process, occurring throughout tumor growth. Ex vivo migration studies have identified what appears to be a novel chemotactic factor(s) released by stressed/dying melanoma cells, suggesting that the accumulation of eosinophils in tumors occurs, in part, through a unique mechanism dependent on a signal(s) released from areas of necrosis. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that the infiltration of tumors by eosinophils is an early and persistent response that is spatial restricted. More importantly, these data also show that the mechanism(s) that elicits this host response occurs independent of immune surveillance, suggesting that eosinophils are part of an early inflammatory reaction at the site of tumorigenesis.

No abstract

The epigenetic patterns established during development may influence gene expression over a lifetime and increase susceptibility to chronic disease. Being born preterm (<37 weeks of gestation) is associated with increased risk mortality and morbidity from birth until adulthood. This brief review explores the potential role of DNA methylation in preterm birth (PTB) and its possible long-term consequences and provides an overview of the physiological processes central to PTB and recent DNA methylation studies of PTB.

NCT00963625 and NCT00963079.