J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  1998 Jun;18(2):280-289.

Infiltration of eosinophils and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in in vivo allergen-challenged nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitics

• Lee BJ
• Shin HS

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the effect of in vitro allergen challenge on activation of eosinophils and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in the epithelial and endothelial cells of the nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitics.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Inferior turbinate mucosal specimens which were obtained from 16 perennial allergic rhinitics and sensitized to D. farinae during conchotomy operations were used. Each mucosal specimen was divided into six pieces. The first two pieces were used as basic control group without culture, the second two pieces as culture-control group which was cultured with diluent only, and the last two pieces as antigen-challenge group cultured with D. farinae solution for 24 hours. Specimens were immunohistochemically stained using monoclonal antibody against eosinophil cationic protein(EG1 for all eosinophils and EG2 for activated forms) and ICAM-1.
RESULTS
Average counts of EG1 cells and EG2+ cells within 1 mm of lamina propria of nasal mucosa were 14 and 11 respectively in the basic control group, 17 and 19 in culture control group, and 16 and 16 in the antigen-challenge group. ICAM-1 expression on vessels was observed more than half of t,he vessels in the nasal mucosa and there was no significant difference between groups, however, its expression on the epithelial cells was most prominent in the antigen-challenge group (2.1 in basic control group, 3.3 in culture control group, and 6.2 in antigen-challenge group).
CONCLUSION
Most of the eosinophils infiltrating into the nasal mucosae out of vessels in allergic rhinitics are activated forms. Significant up-regulation of epithelial ICAM-1 expression by antigen-challenge suggests that ICAM-1 contributes to the transmigration of eosinophils from the subepithelial tissue into the epithelial cell layer and then finally into the nasal secretion.

Keyword

Nasal mucosa allergic rhinitis ICAM-1 eosinophil in vitro allergen-challenge

MeSH Terms

Endothelial Cells
Eosinophils*
Epithelial Cells
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1*
Mucous Membrane
Nasal Mucosa*
Turbinates
Up-Regulation
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1