Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in sputum may be used to estimate the severity of bronchial inflammation and obstruction in asthmatics as well as to monitor asthma drug therapy. For this purpose, standardized processing of sputum is important. The aim of our study was to determine whether time and temperature influence the ECP concentration in the sputum of asthmatics. The samples of induced ...

PURPOSE There is mounting evidence that eosinophil granule proteins may cause tissue injury during allergic inflammation of the eye. Therefore, the authors investigated the in vitro effects of human eosinophil major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil peroxidase (EPO), and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) on cultured human corneal epithelial cell viability and ...

Background A number of studies have outlined mechanisms by which mycoplasma infection may promote allergic lung inflammation. In addition, there is increasing evidence from human studies suggesting that mycoplasma infection contribute to asthma exacerbations, and severity with the change of cytokines. The present study evaluated the change of serum levels of eosinophil count, eosinophil cationi...

It has been shown that airway exposure to eosinophil-derived cationic proteins stimulated vagal pulmonary C fibers and markedly potentiated their responses to lung inflation in anesthetized rats (Lee LY, Gu Q, Gleich GJ, J Appl Physiol 91: 1318-1326, 2001). However, whether the effects resulted from a direct action of these proteins on the sensory nerves was not known. The present study was the...

Eosinophil granule major basic protein (MBP), a potent toxin for helminths and various cell types, is a 13.8-kD single polypeptide rich in arginine with a calculated isoelectric point (pI) of 10.9. A cDNA for human MBP was isolated from a gamma GT10 HL-60 cDNA library. The nucleotide sequence of the MBP cDNA indicates that MBP is translated as a 25.2-kD preproprotein. The 9.9-kD pro-portion of ...

To distinguish sinusitis from uncomplicated "colds," we examined lactoferrin and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) in nasal secretions. Lactoferrin titers were >/=1:400 in 4% of persons with uncomplicated colds and controls but in 79% of persons with sinusitis or purulent sputa. ECP levels were >200 ng/ml in 61% of persons with colds and >3,000 ng/ml in 62% of persons with sinusitis. Nasal la...