title: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma regulates eosinophil functions: a new therapeutic target for allergic airway inflammation.
abstract: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a nuclear receptor that regulates lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. PPARgamma is not only highly expressed in adipose tissue but also in cells involved in the immune system, and it exerts anti-inflammatory activities. We showed that eosinophils, a major inflammatory cell in allergic inflammation, express PPARgamma. PPARgamma negatively modulates eosinophil functions, such as survival, chemotaxis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and degranulation. Recently, three independent groups have demonstrated that PPARgamma agonists inhibit airway inflammation in an animal model of asthma. This evidence suggests that PPARgamma agonists may be a new therapeutic modality for the treatment of allergic diseases including asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueki
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuwaki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kayaba
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oyamada
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Usami
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000819:agonists / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000819:agonists / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014157:Transcription Factors