LFA-1 expression by blood eosinophils is increased in atopic asthmatic children and is involved in eosinophil locomotion

Allergic asthma is characterized by eosinophil migration in the airways, which is strictly dependent on the expression of adhesion molecules. This study investigated whether the expression of adhesion molecules on eosinophils is increased and associated with disease activity in allergic asthma. Twenty atopic asthmatic (AA) subjects and nine controls were studied and the expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1; CD11a/CD18), Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4; CD49d/CD29) on blood eosinophils was evaluated by specific monoclonal antibody (Mab) staining and flow-cytometric analysis. Compared with controls, eosinophils from AA showed increased expression of LFA-1 (p<0.005), but not of Mac-1 or VLA-4 (p>0.1). In addition, LFA-1 expression correlated positively with blood eosinophil number (r=0.792, p<0.05), while no correlations were observed between Mac-1 or VLA-4 expression and blood eosinophil number. The migration of eosinophils through human umbilical vein endothelial cells with or without anti-LFA-1, Mac-1 and VLA-4-blocking Mab was studied. Compared with controls, eosinophils from AA showed increased migration toward C5a (p<0.01). Cell migration was totally inhibited by preincubating eosinophils with anti-LFA-1 (p<0.05), while anti-Mac-1 had no effect (p>0.1). Thus, the expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 by blood eosinophils is increased in atopic asthmatics and seems to modulate the enhanced eosinophil migration observed in allergic asthma.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. J. Muessel, K. S. Scott, P. Friedl, P. Bradding, and A. J. Wardlaw CCL11 and GM-CSF Differentially Use the Rho GTPase Pathway to Regulate Motility of Human Eosinophils in a Three-Dimensional Microenvironment J. Immunol., June 15, 2008; 180(12): 8354 - 8360. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D Nemet, P J Mills, and D M Cooper Effect of intense wrestling exercise on leucocytes and adhesion molecules in adolescent boys Br. J. Sports Med., April 1, 2004; 38(2): 154 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. K. Wong, W. K. Ip, and C. W. K. Lam Interleukin-3, -5, and Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor-Induced Adhesion Molecule Expression on Eosinophils by p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., July 1, 2003; 29(1): 133 - 147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]