Eosinophils and cellular injury: the Gordon phenomenon as a model.

Three eosinophil proteins, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil protein-X (EPX), and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), have neurotoxic properties. EDN and EPX may be identical. ECP is by far the most potent neurotoxic eosinophil-derived protein. The damaging effect of the three proteins have been claimed to be selective. This selectivity can, at least in part, be explained by way of the experimental injections. Several observations are in favour of a selectivity through accumulation. Immunocytochemical localization of intraventricular injected ECP supports this hypothesis and indicates furthermore that ECP has an immediate reactivity towards and possible toxic effect against nervous tissue in general.