Antigen-induced recruitment of eosinophils: importance of CD4+ T cells, IL5, and mast cells.

Eosinophils of sensitized mice readily recruit to the site of antigen challenge. In the present study, experiments were performed to determine the involvement of different cell types in the antigen-induced recruitment of eosinophils. We demonstrated that a single treatment with anti-L3T4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) on the day of allergen challenge significantly decreased antigen-induced recruitment of eosinophils. Treatments with anti-L3T4 mAb during the sensitization period also caused a substantial reduction in the migration of eosinophils into the site of challenge with antigen. Thus, it appears that both stages of eosinophil recruitment, sensitization and antigen-challenge, are dependent upon the presence of L3T4+ T cells. Moreover, while treatments with anti-IL5 mAb blocked eosinophil migration, anti-IL2 mAb failed to alter the antigen-induced recruitment of eosinophils. In addition, significant numbers of eosinophils from the mast-cell-deficient mice were found to migrate into the peritoneal cavities upon allergen challenge. Eosinophil migration was also observed in several mouse strains of different H-2 haplotypes. The present findings suggest that CD4+ T cells and IL5 but not IL2 may play important roles in modulating the recruitment of eosinophils. Moreover, the involvement of mast cells does not appear to be essential for eosinophil migration. Finally, the development of antigen-induced recruitment of eosinophils is probably not under the immunogenetic regulation by genes within the H-2 complex.