Liao Wei, Long Hai, Chang Christopher Chia-Chi, Lu Qianjin
Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics & Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Suite 6510, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2016 Apr;50(2):125-39. doi: 10.1007/s12016-015-8507-6.
Historically, eosinophils have been considered as end-stage cells involved in host protection against parasitic infection and in the mechanisms of hypersensitivity. However, later studies have shown that this multifunctional cell is also capable of producing immunoregulatory cytokines and soluble mediators and is involved in tissue homeostasis and modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. In this review, we summarize the biology of eosinophils, including the function and molecular mechanisms of their granule proteins, cell surface markers, mediators, and pathways, and present comprehensive reviews of research updates on the genetics and epigenetics of eosinophils. We describe recent advances in the development of epigenetics of eosinophil-related diseases, especially in asthma. Likewise, recent studies have provided us with a more complete appreciation of how eosinophils contribute to the pathogenesis of various diseases, including hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). Over the past decades, the definition and criteria of HES have been evolving with the progress of our understanding of the disease and some aspects of this disease still remain controversial. We also review recent updates on the genetic and molecular mechanisms of HES, which have spurred dramatic developments in the clinical strategies of diagnosis and treatment for this heterogeneous group of diseases. The conclusion from this review is that the biology of eosinophils provides significant insights as to their roles in health and disease and, furthermore, demonstrates that a better understanding of eosinophil will accelerate the development of new therapeutic strategies for patients.
从历史上看，嗜酸性粒细胞一直被认为是参与宿主抵御寄生虫感染和超敏反应机制的终末阶段细胞。然而，后来的研究表明，这种多功能细胞还能够产生免疫调节细胞因子和可溶性介质，并参与组织稳态以及固有免疫和适应性免疫反应的调节。在这篇综述中，我们总结了嗜酸性粒细胞的生物学特性，包括其颗粒蛋白、细胞表面标志物、介质和信号通路的功能及分子机制，并对嗜酸性粒细胞遗传学和表观遗传学的研究进展进行了全面综述。我们描述了嗜酸性粒细胞相关疾病，尤其是哮喘的表观遗传学发展的最新进展。同样，最近的研究让我们更全面地了解了嗜酸性粒细胞如何促成包括嗜酸性粒细胞增多综合征（HES）在内的各种疾病的发病机制。在过去几十年里，随着我们对该疾病认识的不断深入，HES的定义和标准一直在演变，而且该疾病的某些方面仍然存在争议。我们还综述了HES的遗传和分子机制的最新进展，这些进展推动了针对这一异质性疾病群体的临床诊断和治疗策略的巨大发展。这篇综述的结论是，嗜酸性粒细胞的生物学特性为其在健康和疾病中的作用提供了重要见解，此外，还表明对嗜酸性粒细胞的更好理解将加速为患者开发新的治疗策略。
