title: The eosinophil and the eye.
abstract: Personal studies in allergic eye diseases reviewed in this paper indicate that: 1. An increased number and an abnormal distribution of eosinophils is present in conjunctival biopsies of patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). 2. Eosinophil and eosinophil products, such as ECP, are also increased in tears of VKC patients and, in hay fever conjunctivitis, accumulate during the late-phase of allergic reaction following specific allergen challenge. 3. Circulating eosinophils of VKC patients show a typical activation phenotypic profile which is associated with increased serum level of eosinophil cationic protein and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin/protein X. A clinical study of the modulatory effect of cetirizine on the early and late phase of the allergic reaction as well as on the eosinophil activation and tissue recruitment following conjunctival allergen challenge is reported as an example of the need to evaluate eosinophil functions when investigating anti-allergic drugs. Drugs modulating various aspects of eosinophil function could play a primary role in the treatment of allergic eye disease.
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magrini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rotiroti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lambiase
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomassini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rumi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
mesh_terms: D017332:Cetirizine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005123:Eye / Q000276:immunology*; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D013666:Tears / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D017332:Cetirizine