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Updated: May 17, 2026
03:23
Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Models to Investigate the Epithelial Barrier in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Published on: May 10, 2024
Eosinophils in infection and intestinal immunity
Simon P Hogan1, Amanda Waddell, Patricia C Fulkerson
1Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA. simon.hogan@cchmc.org
Current Opinion in Gastroenterology
|November 8, 2012
Summary
Eosinophils may play a role in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) by fighting bacteria. While they possess antibacterial capabilities, their exact contribution to IBD pathogenesis requires further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, involve aberrant immune responses to gut microbes.
- Eosinophil levels correlate with IBD severity and remission, suggesting a potential role in the disease process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review clinical evidence linking eosinophils to IBD.
- To summarize in-vitro and in-vivo data on eosinophil antibacterial activity.
- To explore eosinophil-mediated mechanisms against commensal bacteria in IBD.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical data on eosinophils in IBD.
- Analysis of in-vitro and in-vivo studies on eosinophil function.
- Examination of eosinophil biology and bactericidal mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Eosinophils possess cellular machinery for antibacterial responses, including receptors, cytokines, proteins, and DNA traps.
- Evidence suggests eosinophils can mount an antibacterial response.
- However, rapid eosinophil decline after bacterial infection indicates a limited role in acute bacterial infections.
Conclusions:
- Eosinophils exhibit antibacterial functions relevant to IBD.
- Granule proteins released by eosinophils contribute to bactericidal activity.
- Understanding eosinophil roles in IBD pathogenesis offers potential therapeutic insights.
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