title: Inhibition of HLA-DR expression on activated human blood eosinophils by transforming growth factor-beta1.
abstract: Peripheral blood, bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum eosinophils of patients with asthma but not peripheral blood eosinophils from normal controls have been shown to express human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR on their cell surface. Cytokines implicated in the activation of eosinophils, such as interleukin (IL)-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), can up-regulate HLA-DR expression. However, little is known about antagonistic factors that might down-regulate HLA-DR expression on eosinophils. In this study we investigated whether transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), which has been shown to reduce survival of activated eosinophils, can also modulate HLA-DR expression on eosinophils. For this purpose, isolated peripheral blood eosinophils were stimulated with IL-3 and GM-CSF for 24 h and HLA-DR expression was measured by flow cytometry. We found that while isolated eosinophils expressed low levels of surface HLA-DR, incubation with GM-CSF and IL-3 increased HLA-DR expression on eosinophils. TGF-beta alone did not change HLA-DR expression on isolated eosinophils. However, co-incubation of eosinophils with TGF-beta and either GM-CSF or IL-3 significantly decreased HLA-DR expression compared to eosinophils incubated with either GM-CSF or IL-3 alone and this was not reversed by addition of IL-5. This effect of TGF-beta on IL-3-induced HLA-DR expression was attenuated dose-dependently in the presence of monoclonal anti-TGF-beta antibodies. Our results suggest that TGF-beta can reduce cytokine-induced HLA-DR expression on eosinophils and could thus influence eosinophil activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, Medical University Clinics, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luttmann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matthys
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Virchow
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007377:Interleukin-3; D008934:Mitogens; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor