Defining a link with asthma in mice congenitally deficient in eosinophils.
Eosinophils are often dominant inflammatory cells present in the lungs of asthma patients. Nonetheless, the role of these leukocytes remains poorly understood. We have created a transgenic line of mice (PHIL) that are specifically devoid of eosinophils, but otherwise have a full complement of hematopoietically derived cells. Allergen challenge of PHIL mice demonstrated that eosinophils were required for pulmonary mucus accumulation and the airway hyperresponsiveness associated with asthma. The development of an eosinophil-less mouse now permits an unambiguous assessment of a number of human diseases that have been linked to this granulocyte, including allergic diseases, parasite infections, and tumorigenesis.
Lee
James J
JJ
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA. jjlee@mayo.edu
Dimina
Dawn
D
Macias
MiMi P
MP
Ochkur
Sergei I
SI
McGarry
Michael P
MP
O'Neill
Katie R
KR
Protheroe
Cheryl
C
Pero
Ralph
R
Nguyen
Thanh
T
Cormier
Stephania A
SA
Lenkiewicz
Elizabeth
E
Colbert
Dana
D
Rinaldi
Lisa
L
Ackerman
Steven J
SJ
Irvin
Charles G
CG
Lee
Nancy A
NA
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000235:genetics; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology*; D018390:Gene Targeting; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D023421:Models, Animal; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000235:genetics; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D000485:Allergens; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C029795:diphtheria toxin fragment A; D010047:Ovalbumin; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase; D010544:Peroxidases