title: Eosinophils as a pharmacological target for the treatment of allergic diseases.
abstract: Eosinophils are innate immune cells and active players in inflammatory responses. Their activation and increased levels in the blood and at specific sites are associated with parasitic infections and several inflammatory conditions, notably allergic diseases in which eosinophils are considered to be damaging cells. Intervention targeting eosinophils is thought to prevent and/or limit irreversible organ damage and other eosinophil-associated disorders like hypereosinophilic syndromes, some cancers and autoimmune diseases. Several eosinophil-targeted therapeutic agents which block specific steps in eosinophil differentiation, migration and activation have recently been developed, showing encouraging results and new insights into their specific role in allergy. Here, we review some potentially effective drug compounds, their drawbacks and future prospective focusing on allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, POB 12065, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
authors.forename: Nadine Anna Caterina
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Landolina
authors.affiliation: Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, POB 12065, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. Electronic address: francescal@ekmd.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Levi-Schaffer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015195:Drug Design; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators