title: Primary role of CD4+ T cells and supplemental role of mast cells in allergic pulmonary eosinophilia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have recently demonstrated that allergic eosinophilic inflammation is transferred to unprimed mice by infusing IL-5-producing CD4+ T cells. The contribution of mast cells to the development of eosinophilic inflammation is controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  To clarify the possible different roles of CD4+ T cells and mast cells in eosinophilic inflammation, we compared antigen-induced airway eosinophilia between mast-cell-deficient mice (WBB6F1-W/W(v)) and their congenic normal littermates (WBB6F1-+/+).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The time course study indicated that equivalent numbers of eosinophils were recruited into the airway of both +/+ and W/W(v) mice 6, 24, 96, and 216 h after antigen challenge, whereas the number of eosinophils 48 h after antigen challenge was significantly lower in W/W(v) compared to +/+ mice. Administration of either anti-CD4 or anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody almost completely inhibited antigen-induced eosinophil recruitment in W/W(v) mice 48 h after antigen challenge. In contrast, the inhibitory effect of these antibodies in +/+ mice were partial (approximately 50% inhibition). Anti-CD4 and anti-IL-5 antibodies equally suppressed airway eosinophilia in both +/+ and W/W(v) mice 96 h after antigen challenge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study indicates that CD4+ T cells are crucially involved in the development of allergic eosinophilic inflammation, while mast cells may play a supplemental role depending on the kinetics of the response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kaminuma
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kikkawa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kameda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikezawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suko
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okudaira
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology