Secretion of granule proteins from eosinophils and neutrophils is increased in asthma

• The activity of eosinophil and neutrophil granulocytes with respect to secretion of granule proteins was studied in 30 patients with asthma and with varying severity of their disease. Granulocytes were stimulated with serum-opsonized Sephadex particles, and the released amount of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil protein X (EPX), and myeloperoxidase was measured by means of specific radioimmunoassays. Eosinophils from patients with asthma released significantly more (p less than 0.001) ECP and EPX after 20 minutes of incubation than cells from control subjects without asthma. The release of myeloperoxidase from neutrophils was also somewhat higher (p less than 0.03). The serum concentrations of ECP and EPX were also significantly increased (p less than 0.001) in the group with asthma. No significant relationships were found between clinical variables and the secretory activity of either eosinophils or neutrophils. We conclude that eosinophils and, to some extent, neutrophils from subjects with asthma have an increased propensity to release their granule proteins, which we suggest is a consequence of priming of these cells.

Keyword

Adult

Aged

Asthma/*metabolism

Blood Proteins/*secretion

Cell Degranulation

Eosinophil Granule Proteins

Eosinophils/*secretion

Female

Humans

Leukocyte Count

Male

Middle Aged

Neutrophils/*secretion

Peroxidase/secretion

Research Support; Non-U.S. Gov't

Ribonucleases

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)