title: CD40 ligand is functionally expressed on human eosinophils.
abstract: CD40 ligand (CD40L), a surface molecule which can be expressed by T cells, mast cells and basophils, has been shown to be involved in the control of B cell proliferation, immunoglobulin class switching as well as in the activation of monocytes and T cells. We demonstrate that CD40L can also be expressed constitutively by eosinophils from an hypereosinophilic patient or, upon activation, by the eosinophilic cell line EOL-3 and normal blood eosinophils. Eosinophils were able to induce, in conjunction with IL-4, CD40L-dependent B cell proliferation in vitro. These results suggest that CD40L could play a role in the inflammatory processes during which eosinophil infiltration and activation are observed.
authors.affiliation: Glaxo Institute for Molecular Biology, Plan les Ouates/Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gauchat
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henchoz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fattah
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Aubry
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jomotte
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solari
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aldebert
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002460:Cell Line; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017681:Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023201:CD40 Ligand