Pleural eosinophil infiltration induced by PAF-acether is not a desensitizable phenomenon.

This study investigated the effect of successive daily intrathoracic (it) injections of PAF-acether upon its demonstrated ability to generate eosinochemotaxin(s). Repeated administration of PAF-acether led to a selective state of desensitization, characterized by a gradual reduction of its ability to induce exudation. Concomitantly, however, there was a progressive pleural accumulation of eosinophils leading to a 7-fold increase in the eosinophil counts after the 4th restimulation. The generation of eosinochemotaxin(s) elicited by PAF-acether was not modified by desensitization, as detected by transferring the cell-free pleural fluid from donor to recipient animals. We conclude that, in contrast to exudation, eosinophil tissue infiltration induced by PAF-acether is not a desensitizable phenomenon.