A role for eosinophils in transplant rejection.
Eosinophils release inflammatory mediators and cationic proteins that are instrumental in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma. Here, we review experimental observations indicating that eosinophils are also involved in the rejection of allografts. We propose that their role as effectors of transplant damage becomes crucial when classical pathways of rejection are inhibited and T helper 2 (Th2) cells dominate the alloimmune response.
Goldman
M
M
Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 808 route de Lennik, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium. mgoldman@ulb.ac.be
Le Moine
A
A
Braun
M
M
Flamand
V
V
Abramowicz
D
D
D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000276:immunology; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D015848:Interleukin-5; D016906:Interleukin-9; D015847:Interleukin-4