Eosinophil-active chemokines: assessment of in vivo activity

Abstract

The selective recruitment of eosinophils in tissue is a striking feature of allergic diseases. Recently, a family of chemoattractant molecules, namely chemokines, has been described which potently activates eosinophil function in vitro. We have developed a murine model of eosinophil recruitment to compare the relative potency and efficacy of chemokines in vivo. Of the chemokines tested, only eotaxin and MIP-1α induced significant accumulation of eosinophils in vivo, but eotaxin was more effective than MIP-1α. Chemokines, especially eotaxin acting via the CCR-3 receptor, may have a fundamental role in determining selective eosinophil recruitment in vivo.

Eotaxin Expression in Sephadex-Induced Lung Injury in Rats

“…1 Accumulating evidence indicates that local accumulation of eosinophils is regulated, at least in part, by a group of chemoattractant cytokines termed chemokines. 4 Based on the location of the first two conserved cysteines, che-mokines are divided into four groups: the CXC, CC, C, and CX 3 C subfamilies. While the CXC, C, and CX 3 C chemokines mainly attract neutrophils or lymphocytes, the CC family members are active toward macrophages, lymphocytes, basophils, and eosinophils.…”