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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Models to Investigate the Epithelial Barrier in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Published on: May 10, 2024
Circulating eosinophils in patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome have heterogeneous immunophenotypes
Krishan D Chhiba1, Richard Kasjanski1, Michelle A Makiya2
1Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill.
Background:
Hypereosinophilic syndromes (HES) encompass a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by blood and/or tissue hypereosinophilia. Despite recent advances, the diagnosis and management of HES remain challenging due to the lack of well-defined biomarkers of disease activity beyond blood eosinophilia.
Objectives:
We sought to examine blood eosinophil immunophenotypes in patients with HES and determine whether typical markers of eosinophil activation and degranulation correlate with the presence of symptoms and/or treatment response in patients with HES.
Methods:
Peripheral blood samples were collected from 42 participants (39 patients with HES, 3 healthy donors). Clinical data were extracted by chart review. Surface expression of various eosinophil markers, including CD69, CD62L, CD66b, CD107a, CD107b, CD63, CCR3, CXCR4, CD101, and CD274, were quantified in whole blood by flow cytometry.
Results:
Absolute eosinophil counts were significantly elevated in symptomatic patients being treated for HES compared to asymptomatic patients being treated for HES. Cell surface expression of degranulation markers, CD107a and CD107b, and immunomodulatory protein CD274, were increased in patients being treated for HES. CCR3, a chemokine receptor for eotaxins, was increased on eosinophils from patients with myeloid HES on imatinib, but not on eosinophils from other patients with HES who are on treatment.
Conclusions:
These findings enhance our understanding of the heterogeneity of circulating eosinophils in humans and may advance our ability to develop biomarkers of disease activity and effective therapy.
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