Eosinophil Chemotactic Chemokines (Eotaxin, Eotaxin-2, RANTES, Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-3 (MCP-3), and MCP-4), and C-C Chemokine Receptor 3 Expression in Bronchial Biopsies from Atopic and Nonatopic (Intrinsic) Asthmatics

Atopic (AA) and nonatopic (NAA) asthma are characterized by chronic inflammation and local tissue eosinophilia. Many C-C chemokines are potent eosinophil chemoattractants and act predominantly via the CCR3. We examined the expression of eotaxin, eotaxin-2, RANTES, monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 (MCP-3), MCP-4, and CCR3 in the bronchial mucosa from atopic (AA) and nonatopic (intrinsic; NAA) asthmatics and compared our findings with atopic (AC) and nonatopic nonasthmatic controls (NC). Cryostat sections were processed for immunohistochemistry (IHC), in situ hybridization (ISH), and double IHC/ISH. Compared with AC and NC, the numbers of EG2 + cells and the cells expressing mRNA for eotaxin, eotaxin-2, RANTES, MCP-3, MCP-4, and CCR3 were significantly increased in AA and NAA ( p + eosinophils in the bronchial tissue were also observed for both AA ( p p = 0.01). Moreover, in the total asthmatic group (AA + NAA) there was a significant inverse correlation between the expression of eotaxin and that of the histamine PC 20 ( p + epithelial cells, CD31 + endothelial cells, and CD68 + macrophages were the major sources of eotaxin, eotaxin-2, RANTES, MCP-3, and MCP-4. There was no significantly different distribution of cells expressing mRNA for these chemokines between atopic and nonatopic asthma. These findings suggest that multiple C-C chemokines, acting at least in part via CCR3, contribute to bronchial eosinophilia in both atopic and nonatopic asthma.