title: The in vitro effects of advanced glycation end products on basophil functions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Basophils are thought to play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of allergic reactions, but their roles in inflammation associated with systemic abnormalities such as metabolic disorders remain largely unknown. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are potentially important substances produced in high-glucose disease conditions. In this in vitro study, we investigated whether the biological functions of human basophils can be influenced by AGEs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the effects of AGEs on various functions and markers of human basophils, including CD11b expression, apoptosis, degranulation, and cytokine production.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Flow cytometric analysis indicated that the level of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) on the surface of freshly isolated basophils was very low but was clearly upregulated by IL-3. Apoptosis of basophils was induced by high concentrations of glycated albumin. Although glycated albumin failed to affect the level of surface CD11b expression or to trigger degranulation or production of IL-4 and IL-13 in basophils, it dose-dependently induced IL-6 and IL-8 secretion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AGEs seem to act on human basophils; they suppress the cells' longevity but elicit secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Through these biological changes, basophils might play some roles in inflammatory conditions associated with metabolic disorders presenting elevated levels of AGEs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Department of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaiyu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Maho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzukawa
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakase
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagase
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015549:Basophil Degranulation Test; D001491:Basophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin
chemical_list: D039481:CD11b Antigen; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; C508600:IL6 protein, human; C509295:ITGAM protein, human; D007377:Interleukin-3; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D012709:Serum Albumin; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin