ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the role of adhesion in eosinophil migration and activation particularly in relation to the hypothesis that eosinophil-derived mediators cause asthma. Eosinophils are associated with a number of diseases, most prominently asthma, allergic disease, and infection with helminthic parasites. Eosinophils in the airways of asthmatics are activated as determined by positive staining with the anti-eosinophil cationic protein monoclonal antibody EG2 and are found in association with activated, CD25-positive, CD4-positive T lymphocytes. Migration of eosinophils into the bronchial mucosa involves first adhesion and transmigration through the venular endothelium of the bronchial circulation, and second interaction with the extracellular matrix, which is composed of a number of proteins such as fibronectin, laminin, and collagen. Adhesion to endothelium involves an initial transient stage, which occurs under the high-sheer-stress conditions present under normal blood flow. Indirect evidence suggests that eosinophils express the counterreceptors for E-selectin and P-selectin. Eosinophils express a number of integrin receptors.
