Functions of Eosinophils
Following activation, eosinophils effector functions include production of:
- cationic granule proteins and their release by degranulation.
- reactive oxygen species such as superoxide, peroxide, and hypobromite (hypobromous acid, which is preferentially produced by eosinophil peroxidase).
- lipid mediators like the eicosanoids from the leukotriene (e.g., LTC4, LTD4, LTE4) and prostaglandin (e.g., PGE2) families.
- enzymes, such as elastase.
- growth factors such as TGF beta, VEGF, and PDGF.
- cytokines such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, and TNF alpha.
In addition, eosinophils play a role in fighting viral infections, which is evident from the abundance of RNases they contain within their granules, and in fibrin removal during inflammation. Eosinophils along with basophils and mast cells, are important mediators of allergic responses and asthma pathogenesis and are associated with disease severity. They also fight helminth (worm) colonization and may be slightly elevated in the presence of certain parasites. Eosinophils are also involved in many other biological processes, including postpubertal mammary gland development, oestrus cycling, allograft rejection and neoplasia. They have also recently been implicated in antigen presentation to T cells.
Read more about this topic: Eosinophil Granulocyte
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