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Biomedical subjects

G J Gleich

Publications and source records attributed to G J Gleich.

493 records · Page 28Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Eosinophil granule proteins are selective activators of human heart mast cells.

Eosinophilia in humans is associated with eosinophil infiltration and cardiac localization of eosinophil granule proteins. Eosinophil cationic proteins are responsible for cardiac disease in some patients with eosinophilia. We have investigated the in vitro effect of four eosinophil granule proteins: eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO), on mast cells isolated from human cardiac tissue (HHMC). ECP and, to a lesser extent MBP (0.3-3 microM), but not EDN and EPO, stimulated the release of histamine and tryptase from HHMC. This release reaction induced by ECP and MBP was Ca(2+)- and temperature-dependent and was abolished by preincubation with anti-ECP and anti-MBP, respectively. The activation of HHMC by ECP and MBP was abolished by preincubation with 2-deoxy-D-glucose and antimycin A. These data demonstrate that some eosinophil cationic proteins, ECP and MBP, are selective activators of HHMC, thus contributing to the cardiac lesions in patients with eosinophilia.

Blood Proteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The pathology of asthma: with emphasis on the role of the eosinophil.

The pathology of asthma is characterized by mucus plugging of the bronchi and bronchioles, shedding of the respiratory epithelium with the formation of Creola bodies, denudation of the epithelium, the presence of necrotic eosinophilic material beneath the epithelium, a thickened basement membrane zone, bronchial smooth muscle hypertrophy, and goblet cell hyperplasia. In addition, pronounced tissue eosinophilia is present and Charcot-Leyden crystals may be present in sputum. Information linking the eosinophil to the pathophysiology of asthma is presented and the possibility that the eosinophil is a major effector of the inflammation associated with asthma is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Eosinophil granule major basic protein in contact lenses of patients with giant papillary conjunctivitis.

Conjunctival reaction to substances deposited on soft contact lenses is thought to be important in the development of contact lens-associated giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC). Eosinophil granule major basic protein (MBP), a potent cytotoxin released by eosinophils, has previously been demonstrated in conjunctiva from patients with GPC. We therefore evaluated soft contact lenses from ten patients with GPC for the presence of MBP by means of an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Deposition of MBP was demonstrated in lenses from one patient, the only subject with a history of atopy. The results suggest that MBP deposits on nonionic, low water content lenses are unlikely to play a role in the development of GPC, except, perhaps, in patients with atopy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The functions of eosinophils.

The observations summarized above were made because of the striking associations between peripheral blood eosinophilia and various human diseases. Clinicians caring for patients with asthma have known for years that peripheral blood eosinophilia and marked bronchial and sputum eosinophilia are associated with asthma. As a consequence of studies using the eosinophil granule MBP, we are now able to postulate that eosinophils damage bronchial epithelium during the course of asthma. This model proposes that eosinophils are attracted into bronchial epithelium and degranulate, releasing toxic cationic proteins which cause desquamation and damage to bronchial epithelium. This model explains many of the features of bronchial asthma, but it leaves open the question of the mechanism(s) for eosinophil attraction to the bronchial epithelium. The studies of eosinophils in cutaneous diseases have led to the hypothesis that the eosinophil loses its morphologic integrity in the skin either by degranulation and loss of its characteristic granules or by frank death of the cell. In either event, there is a strong association between deposition of eosinophil granule MBP and cutaneous oedema. Finally, a molecule indistinguishable from eosinophil granule MBP is found in the human placenta.

Animals↗