Satoh Takahiro
Department of Dermatology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
Nihon Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi. 2011;34(2):63-9. doi: 10.2177/jsci.34.63.
Basophils represent less than 1% of peripheral blood leukocytes. Under physiological conditions, basophils principally circulate in peripheral blood, while mast cells reside in peripheral tissues. Like mast cells, they express the high-affinity IgE receptor on their cell surface and release chemical mediators. Because of morphological and functional similarities, basophils have long been considered to be redundant "circulating mast cells" and minor (probably negligible) players in inflammation. Mouse and human basophils cannot be stained in routinely processed histological specimens, and thus, our understanding of tissue basophils in allergic inflammation had been limited. However, recent studies in mice have revealed that basopihls play non-redundant roles from mast cells. Basophils function as a source of IL-4, IL-13, and CCL22, thereby contributing Th2 immunity. They are also capable of presenting antigens. Basophils are essential for the development of IgE-mediated chronic allergic skin inflammation in mice. Recent immunohistochemical studies with an basophil-specific antibody revealed that, in humans, varying numbers of basophils infiltrate skin lesions of inflammatory diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, urticaria, prurigo, and eosinophilic pustular folliculitis. Basophils may play important roles in a variety of inflammatory skin diseases than previously thought.
嗜碱性粒细胞在外周血白细胞中所占比例不到1%。在生理条件下，嗜碱性粒细胞主要在外周血中循环，而肥大细胞则存在于外周组织中。与肥大细胞一样，它们在细胞表面表达高亲和力IgE受体并释放化学介质。由于形态和功能上的相似性，嗜碱性粒细胞长期以来一直被认为是多余的“循环肥大细胞”，在炎症中起次要（可能微不足道）作用。小鼠和人类的嗜碱性粒细胞在常规处理的组织学标本中无法染色，因此，我们对过敏性炎症中组织嗜碱性粒细胞的了解一直有限。然而，最近对小鼠的研究表明，嗜碱性粒细胞发挥着与肥大细胞不同的作用。嗜碱性粒细胞作为白细胞介素-4、白细胞介素-13和CCL22的来源，从而促进Th2免疫。它们也能够呈递抗原。嗜碱性粒细胞对小鼠IgE介导的慢性过敏性皮肤炎症的发展至关重要。最近使用嗜碱性粒细胞特异性抗体的免疫组织化学研究表明，在人类中，不同数量地嗜碱性粒细胞浸润炎症性疾病的皮肤病变，如特应性皮炎、荨麻疹、痒疹和嗜酸性脓疱性毛囊炎。嗜碱性粒细胞可能在多种炎症性皮肤病中发挥比以前认为的更重要的作用。
