title: Expression of mRNA and immunoreactivity for the granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor in activated human eosinophils.
abstract: Using in situ hybridization, we have shown that activated human peripheral blood eosinophils express mRNA for granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Between 15 and 27% of eosinophils gave positive hybridization signals for GM-CSF mRNA after stimulation with the calcium ionophore A23187 or interferon gamma, and 4 and 6% after incubation with interleukin 3 (IL-3) or IL-5. Activated eosinophils also gave specific immunoreactivity with an anti-GM-CSF polyclonal antibody, suggesting translation of the mRNA. These data indicate that eosinophils may be an important source of GM-CSF at sites of allergic inflammation. Furthermore, the identification of GM-CSF production by human eosinophils suggests that the pro-inflammatory potential of this cell type may be substantially greater than hitherto recognized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Heart & Lung Institute, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moqbel
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barkans
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartnell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsicopoulos
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wardlaw
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kay
mesh_terms: D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000001:Calcimycin; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor