Effect of eosinophil-degranulating estrogens on spleen eosinophils and white pulp/red pulp ratio.

A role for eosinophils in the immune reaction has not been yet established. Considering that these leukocytes accumulate in lymphoid organs under glucocorticoid stimulation, we explored the possibility that they participate in the depression of immune reactions induced by these hormones and that they degranulate to exert this action. In this context, we investigated the dose effect of three estrogens on the number and degranulation of spleen red pulp eosinophils and on the percentage of spleen cross sectional area comprising white pulp. Estradiol-17 beta or 4 (OH) estradiol-17 beta increased red pulp eosinophils at low doses: 2 (OH) estradiol-17 beta increased them at a very high dose. The three estrogens degranulated the spleen eosinophils and decreased the lymphocyte containing spleen white pulp. We propose that the decrease in white pulp is a response mediated by agents released from degranulating eosinophils under the action of estrogen. Consequently, both estrogen-induced eosinophil degranulation and estrogen-induced increase in red pulp eosinophil numbers are conditions contributing to a decrease in white pulp volume. All above evidence supports the hypothesis that eosinophils are involved in immunoregulation by diminishing the number of lymphocytes contained in lymphoid organs.