CONTEXT Some studies have shown that inflammatory processes in the nasal air passages may reflect or affect those in the lower airways. We decided to indirectly assess the inflammatory status of the nasal airways in two groups of children with different sensitization rates to aeroallergens. OBJECTIVE To compare the inflammatory activity in the nasal airways, through the determination of media...

Peripheral blood and tissue eosinophilia is a prominent feature in allergic diseases and helminth infections. In cancer patients, tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia is frequently observed. Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia can be associated with a favorable prognosis, notably in colorectal carcinoma. However, underlying mechanisms of eosinophil contribution to antitumor responses are poorl...

There is much evidence that eosinophils play an important role in bronchial epithelial damage in asthma by releasing cationic proteins. However, the extent to which eosinophil inflammation relates to indices of asthma severity in chronic stable asthma is still a matter of debate. We studied 46 clinically stable patients with mild to severe chronic asthma (forced expiratory volume in one second ...

BACKGROUND Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and eosinophil derived-neurotoxin (EDN) are homologous ribonuclease (RNAse) A family proteins. The objective of the present study was to in silico characterize ECP and EDN with respect to their cytotoxic activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS Structural, physicochemical, and conserved domain characterizations were carried-out using open-source software,...

We appreciate the Letter to the Editor by Drs. Park and Shin regarding our recentmanuscript describing a case of reversible Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP) complicating adalimumab (ADA) therapy. We are thankful for their attention to our work and for the interesting arguments raised for our consideration. In the face of such uncertainty in the pathogenesis of HSP related to anti-TNFα therapy (pa...

In 15 patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis and 10 healthy control subjects, levels of major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and arylsulfatase B (As) in the nasal secretions were examined before and after challenge with Japanese cedar pollen extract. The MBP and ECP levels in the patients were significantly higher 30 min after challenge than those before challenge (P <...

Expression plasmid DNA for the human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) protein was formulated with nonionic:cationic (NC) liposomes or phosphatidylcholine:cationic (PC) liposomes and applied to the auricular skin of hamsters in single- and multiple-dose protocols. Confocal microscopy identified delivery of plasmid DNA proximal to perifollicular cells, and successful transfection of per...

PURPOSE Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP) is associated with the exacerbation, timing, and onset of asthma. The goal of this study was to elucidate the impact of MP on eosinophil-related hyper-reactive amplification in atopic children. METHODS We studied 48 patients with MP (26 atopic, 22 non-atopic), between 3 and 12 years of age. Serial changes in blood eosinophil counts, serum interleuk...

AIM To validate the use of tear eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) as a marker for eosinophil activation, and its pharmacological modulation, in addition to evaluating the efficacy of lodoxamide and sodium cromoglycate in the treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). METHODS Tears were collected from 30 patients affected by active mild to moderate VKC before and after therapy with disodi...

BACKGROUND Dithiothreitol (DTT), which is used for sputum homogenization, may split S-S bonds of the bronchial mucins as well as other proteins and, thus, may have a detrimental effect on inflammatory mediators that are present in sputum. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of physical sputum homogenization, using ultrasonic and chemical (ie, DTT) means, on the concentrations of eosinophil cati...