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Giannetti MP, Cardet JC. Interleukin-5 Antagonists Usher in a New Generation of Asthma Therapy. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2017; 16:80. [PMID: 27796795 DOI: 10.1007/s11882-016-0662-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in the USA. A subset of patients with asthma have refractory symptoms, persistent eosinophilic inflammation, and recurrent exacerbations despite maximal medical therapy. The monoclonal antibodies targeting the IL-5 pathway are a new class of medications designed to target severe eosinophilic asthma. There are two medications clinically available: mepolizumab and reslizumab, both of which target IL-5. A third medication, benralizumab, is currently under development and targets the IL-5 receptor. Clinical data suggest these medications can reduce asthma exacerbations and improve lung function in patients with peripheral eosinophilia and poorly controlled asthma despite maximal medical therapy. The anti-IL-5 medications are among the first targeted molecular therapies for asthma and will usher in an exciting new era in the treatment of severe asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P Giannetti
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St. Smith Building, 628, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Juan C Cardet
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St. Smith Building, 628, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St., Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Abstract
Paul Ehrlich's techniques, published between 1879 and 1880, for staining blood films using coal tar dyes, and his method of differential blood cell counting, ended years of speculation regarding the classification of white cells. Acidic and basic dyes had allowed him to recognize eosinophil and basophil granules, respectively, work that was a direct continuation of his discovery of the tissue mast cell described in his doctoral thesis. Ehrlich went on to develop neutral dyes that identified epsilon granules in neutrophils ("cells with polymorphous nuclei"). He also speculated, for the most part correctly, on the formation, function, and fate of blood neutrophils and eosinophils. Before Ehrlich, a number of important observations had been made on white cells and their role in health and disease. Among the most notable were William Hewson's studies of blood and lymph; the early descriptions of leukemia by Alfred Donné, John Hughes Bennett, Rudolf Virchow, and others; as well as seminal observations on inflammation by William Addison, Friedrich von Recklinghausen, and Julius Cohnheim. Eosinophils were almost certainly recognized previously by others. In 1846, Thomas Wharton Jones (1808-1891) described "granule blood-cells" in several species including humans. The term "granule cell" had also been used by Julius Vogel (1814-1880), who had previously observed similar cells in inflammatory exudates. Vogel, in turn, was aware of the work of Gottlieb Gluge (1812-1898), who had observed "compound inflammatory globules" in pus and serum that resembled eosinophils. Almost 20 years before Ehrlich developed his staining methods, Max Johann Schultze (1825-1874) performed functional experiments on fine and coarse granular cells using a warm stage microscopic technique and showed they had amoeboid movement and phagocytic abilities. Despite these earlier observations, it was Ehrlich's use of stains that heralded the modern era of studies of leukocyte biology and pathology.
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Diny NL, Rose NR, Čiháková D. Eosinophils in Autoimmune Diseases. Front Immunol 2017; 8:484. [PMID: 28496445 PMCID: PMC5406413 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Eosinophils are multifunctional granulocytes that contribute to initiation and modulation of inflammation. Their role in asthma and parasitic infections has long been recognized. Growing evidence now reveals a role for eosinophils in autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the function of eosinophils in inflammatory bowel diseases, neuromyelitis optica, bullous pemphigoid, autoimmune myocarditis, primary biliary cirrhosis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and other autoimmune diseases. Clinical studies, eosinophil-targeted therapies, and experimental models have contributed to our understanding of the regulation and function of eosinophils in these diseases. By examining the role of eosinophils in autoimmune diseases of different organs, we can identify common pathogenic mechanisms. These include degranulation of cytotoxic granule proteins, induction of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, release of proteases degrading extracellular matrix, immune modulation through cytokines, antigen presentation, and prothrombotic functions. The association of eosinophilic diseases with autoimmune diseases is also examined, showing a possible increase in autoimmune diseases in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis, hypereosinophilic syndrome, and non-allergic asthma. Finally, we summarize key future research needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola L Diny
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Noel R Rose
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniela Čiháková
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Varricchi G, Senna G, Loffredo S, Bagnasco D, Ferrando M, Canonica GW. Reslizumab and Eosinophilic Asthma: One Step Closer to Precision Medicine? Front Immunol 2017; 8:242. [PMID: 28344579 PMCID: PMC5344894 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Human eosinophils represent approximately 1% of peripheral blood leukocytes. However, these cells have the propensity to leave the blood stream and migrate into inflamed tissues. Eosinophilic inflammation is present in a significant proportion of patients with severe asthma. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects more than 315 million people worldwide, with 10% having severe uncontrolled disease. Although the majority of patients can be efficiently treated, severe asthmatics continue to be uncontrolled and are at risk of exacerbations and even death. Interleukin-5 (IL-5) plays a fundamental role in eosinophil differentiation, maturation, activation and inhibition of apoptosis. Therefore, targeting IL-5 is an appealing approach to the treatment of patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Reslizumab, a humanized anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody, binds with high affinity to amino acids 89–92 of IL-5 that are critical for binding to IL-5 receptor α. Two phase III studies have demonstrated that reslizumab administration in adult patients with severe asthma and eosinophilia (≥400 cells/μL) improved lung function, asthma control, and symptoms. Thus, the use of blood eosinophils as a baseline biomarker could help to select patients with severe uncontrolled asthma who are likely to achieve benefits in asthma control with reslizumab. In conclusion, targeted therapy with reslizumab represents one step closer to precision medicine in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilda Varricchi
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; Center for Basic and Clinical Immunology Research (CISI), University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianenrico Senna
- Asthma Center and Allergy Unit, Verona University, General Hospital , Verona , Italy
| | - Stefania Loffredo
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; Center for Basic and Clinical Immunology Research (CISI), University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Diego Bagnasco
- Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, DIMI Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, University of Genova , Genova , Italy
| | - Matteo Ferrando
- Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, DIMI Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, University of Genova , Genova , Italy
| | - Giorgio Walter Canonica
- Personalized Medicine Clinic Asthma and Allergy Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Department of Biomedical Science, Humanitas University , Rozzano, Milano , Italy
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Rosenberg HF, Masterson JC, Furuta GT. Eosinophils, probiotics, and the microbiome. J Leukoc Biol 2016; 100:881-888. [PMID: 27549754 PMCID: PMC6608069 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.3ri0416-202r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently substantial interest in the therapeutic properties of probiotic microorganisms as recent research suggests that oral administration of specific bacterial strains may reduce inflammation and alter the nature of endogenous microflora in the gastrointestinal tract. Eosinophils are multifunctional tissue leukocytes, prominent among the resident cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa that promote local immunity. Recent studies with genetically altered mice indicate that eosinophils not only participate in maintaining gut homeostasis, but that the absence of eosinophils may have significant impact on the nature of the endogenous gut microflora and responses to gut pathogens, notably Clostridium difficile Furthermore, in human subjects, there is an intriguing relationship between eosinophils, allergic inflammation, and the nature of the lung microflora, notably a distinct association between eosinophil infiltration and detection of bacteria of the phylum Actinobacteria. Among topics for future research, it will be important to determine whether homeostatic mechanisms involve direct interactions between eosinophils and bacteria or whether they involve primarily eosinophil-mediated responses to cytokine signaling in the local microenvironment. Likewise, although is it clear that eosinophils can and do interact with bacteria in vivo, their ability to discern between pathogenic and probiotic species in various settings remains to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene F Rosenberg
- Inflammation Immunobiology Section, Laboratory of Allergic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Joanne C Masterson
- Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program, Department of Pediatrics and Digestive Health Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA; and
- Department of Medicine, Mucosal Inflammation Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Glenn T Furuta
- Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program, Department of Pediatrics and Digestive Health Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA; and
- Department of Medicine, Mucosal Inflammation Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilda Varricchi
- a Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy , University of Naples Federico II , Napoli , Italy
| | - Giorgio W Canonica
- b Allergy & Respiratory Diseases, DIMI Dept of Internal Medicine , University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST , Genoa , Italy
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Varricchi G, Bagnasco D, Borriello F, Heffler E, Canonica GW. Interleukin-5 pathway inhibition in the treatment of eosinophilic respiratory disorders: evidence and unmet needs. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2016; 16:186-200. [PMID: 26859368 PMCID: PMC4768650 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0000000000000251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Human eosinophils were first identified and named by Paul Ehrlich in 1879 on the basis of the cell's granular uptake of eosin. Although eosinophils represent approximately 1% of peripheral blood leukocytes, they have the propensity to leave the blood stream and migrate into inflamed tissues. Eosinophils and their mediators are critical effectors to asthma and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). Eosinophils are equipped with a large number of cell-surface receptors and produce specific cytokines and chemokines. RECENT FINDINGS Eosinophils are the major source of interleukin-5 and highly express the interleukin-5Rα on their surface. Clinical trials evaluating monoclonal antibodies to interleukin-5 (mepolizumab and reslizumab) and its receptor interleukin-5Rα (benralizumab) have been or are underway in patients with eosinophilic asthma, EGPA and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Overall, targeting interleukin-5/interleukin-5Rα is associated with a marked decrease in blood and sputum eosinophilia, the number of exacerbations and improvement of some clinical parameters in adult patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Pilot studies suggest that mepolizumab might be a glucocorticoid-sparing treatment in patients with EGPA. A preliminary study found that benralizumab did not reduce the exacerbations and did modify lung function in patients with eosinophilic COPD. SUMMARY The review examines recent advances in the biology of eosinophils and how targeting the interleukin-5 pathway might offer benefit to some patients with severe asthma, EGPA, and COPD. Interleukin-5/interleukin-5Rα-targeted treatments offer promises to patients with eosinophilic respiratory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilda Varricchi
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples
| | - Diego Bagnasco
- Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S. Martino Genoa, Genoa
| | - Francesco Borriello
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples
| | - Enrico Heffler
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Respiratory Disease and Allergology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giorgio W. Canonica
- Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S. Martino Genoa, Genoa
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George L, Brightling CE. Eosinophilic airway inflammation: role in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2016; 7:34-51. [PMID: 26770668 DOI: 10.1177/2040622315609251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The chronic lung diseases, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are common affecting over 500 million people worldwide and causing substantial morbidity and mortality. Asthma is typically associated with Th2-mediated eosinophilic airway inflammation, in contrast to neutrophilic inflammation observed commonly in COPD. However, there is increasing evidence that the eosinophil might play an important role in 10-40% of patients with COPD. Consistently in both asthma and COPD a sputum eosinophilia is associated with a good response to corticosteroid therapy and tailored strategies aimed to normalize sputum eosinophils reduce exacerbation frequency and severity. Advances in our understanding of the multistep paradigm of eosinophil recruitment to the airway, and the consequence of eosinophilic inflammation, has led to the development of new therapies to target these molecular pathways. In this article we discuss the mechanisms of eosinophilic trafficking, the tools to assess eosinophilic airway inflammation in asthma and COPD during stable disease and exacerbations and review current and novel anti-eosinophilic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena George
- Institute for Lung Health, NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
| | - Christopher E Brightling
- Institute for Lung Health, Clinical Science Wing, University Hospital of Leicester, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK
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59
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Rosenberg HF. Eosinophils. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IMMUNOBIOLOGY 2016. [PMCID: PMC7173586 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-374279-7.03007-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Eosinophils have been traditionally understood as end-stage, primarily cytotoxic effector cells. Recent studies have had profound impact on this limited view and have led to new research on the functions and capabilities of this unique leukocyte lineage. Novel insights into eosinophil development, localization, modes of degranulation, and the nature of their granule contents have provided a better understanding of these cells as immunomodulatory mediators in health and disease.
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