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Heterogeneous expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptors I and II on human peripheral eosinophils
G Matsuyama1, K Ochiai, C Ishihara
1Department of Pediatrics, Toho University School of Medicine, Sakura Hospital, Sakura, Japan.
Background:
Expression of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor by human eosinophils has not been determined. We examined the surface expression and mRNA for tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptors I and II (TNF-alphaRI and TNF-alphaRII) on peripheral eosinophils.
Methods:
Eosinophils were obtained from 17 asthma patients and 3 healthy volunteers. Flow cytometry was used to examine receptor expression, and the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine receptor mRNA expression.
Results:
Flow cytometry revealed that 16 out of 20 subjects had eosinophils expressing TNF-alphaRI and 18 subjects had eosinophils expressing TNF-alphaRII. All eosinophils expressed at least one receptor. The mRNA for TNF-alphaRII was detected in all eosinophils examined, but the signals for TNF-alphaRI mRNA were only found in cells expressing this receptor.
Conclusions:
Human peripheral eosinophils show heterogeneous expression of TNF-alphaRI and TNF-alphaRII.