title: [Localization and expression of Slingshot-1L in peripheral eosinophils from patients with acute asthma exacerbation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Eosinophils play a pivotal role in asthmatic airway inflammation. We previously found a significantly high expression of Slingshot-1L (SSH-1L) in peripheral eosinophils in acute exacerbations of asthma. Objective To investigate the expression and localization patterns of SSH-1L in peripheral blood eosinophils of asthmatic patients and their changes after treatment with inhaled corticosteroids.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 4 outpatients with acute exacerbations of asthma who received no previous corticosteroid treatment and 1 healthy volunteer. From all the subjects 30 ml peripheral venous blood samples were collected before and after a 3-month treatment with inhaled fluticasone. The eosinophils were isolated, purified and counted, and the expressions of SSH-1L in the eosinophils were examined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The localization of SSH-1L phosphatases in the peripheral eosinophils was detected by immunofluorescence assay in one patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SSH-1L phosphatases distributed diffusely in the cytoplasm, especially dense near the membrane of the peripheral eosinophils. Glucocorticoids treatment resulted in a significant reduction in both the SSH-1L mRNA expression (0.7403∓0.1124 vs 0.4101∓0.0363, P=0.001) and SSH-1L protein expression (0.3410∓0.1337 vs 0.1543∓0.0551, P=0.039).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high expression of SSH-1L in peripheral eosinophils in acute exacerbations of asthma may play a role in the activation and migration of eosinophils. The efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids in asthma control might be partly attributed to a down-regulated expression of SSH-1L.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. zhangweizhen157@126.com
authors.forename: Wei-zhen
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hai-jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wen-jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shao-xi
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; C484329:SSH1 protein, human