The mechanisms of eosinophil cell death-associated degranulation and their clinical implications

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460670
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Laboratory medicine
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: UEKI Shigeharu 秋田大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60361234)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 好酸球 / アレルギー / ETosis / DNA traps / 好酸球性副鼻腔炎 / 好酸球性中耳炎 / 脱顆粒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Eosinophils have been considered end-stage effector cells involved in allergic inflammation through their release of cytotoxic granule proteins. Eosinophil cytolysis is an activated phenotype that has been previously observed in biological specimens from patients with disease, and deposition of free eosinophil granules is readily observed in the affected tissues or secretions from these patients. Using pathological specimen and blood-derived human eosinophils, we reported that activated eosinophils undergo a distinct programed pathway of rapid non-apoptotic cell death, extracellular trap cell death (ETosis). ETosis involves the cytolytic release of intact granules also in conjunction with filamentous chromatin structures (DNA traps). Further, we showed that ETosis-mediated DNA traps abundantly present in eosinophilic secretions from patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis and contributed to increase their viscosity and chronic inflammation.

Free Research Field

臨床検査医学、アレルギー学