title: Interferon-gamma enhances human eosinophil effector functions induced by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor or interleukin-5.
abstract: T helper (Th) 2-type cytokines play a dominant role in allergic inflammation. Accumulating evidence suggests that Th1-type cytokines antagonize Th2-type cytokine responses; however, recent studies demonstrate that Th1 cytokines might enhance Th2 immune responses. We examined whether interferon (IFN)-gamma, a representative Th1 cytokine, modifies the effector functions of human eosinophils stimulated by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin (IL)-5. GM-CSF and IL-5 have significant functional homology, and contribute to the regulation of Th2 immunity. After the pretreatment of eosinophils with IFN-gamma, GM-CSF- or IL-5-induced eosinophil functions were examined, including superoxide anion generation, degranulation, adhesion, expression of GM-CSF receptor (R), IL-5R, or CD11b, and phosphorylation of intracellular signaling molecules. Superoxide anion generation was measured using the cytochrome c reduction method. Degranulation and cell adhesion were evaluated based on eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) contents in supernatants or adherent cells. Phosphorylation of signaling molecules was analyzed using a multiplex beads array system. Preincubation with IFN-gamma resulted in enhanced GM-CSF- or IL-5-induced superoxide anion generation and degranulation of human eosinophils, whereas stimulus-induced eosinophil adhesion was unaffected. In addition, IFN-gamma did not influence the expression of GM-CSFR, IL-5R, and CD11b. Furthermore, IFN-gamma upregulated GM-CSF- or IL-5-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and activating transcription factor (ATF)-2. Finally, we confirmed that MAPK inhibitors blocked the enhancement of stimuli-induced superoxide anion generation of IFN-gamma treated eosinophils. In conclusion, IFN-gamma might upregulate ERK, p38, or JNK/ATF-2 phosphorylation induced by GM-CSF or IL-5, leading to enhanced cytokine-induced eosinophil superoxide generation and degranulation.
authors.affiliation: Gunma Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurabayashi
authors.forename: Kunihisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kozawa
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D053649:Receptors, Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D039481:CD11b Antigen; D015848:Interleukin-5; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D053649:Receptors, Interleukin-5; D013481:Superoxides; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases