Integrin αM activation and upregulation on esophageal eosinophils and periostin-mediated eosinophil survival in eosinophilic esophagitis.
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly recognized allergic disease associated with dysphagia and esophageal fibrosis. We aimed to determine expression patterns of specific eosinophil integrins that promote eosinophilic infiltration of the esophageal epithelium, and to determine how key EoE-related cytokines influence eosinophil activation and survival. Esophageal and peripheral eosinophils were isolated from 20 adult subjects with EoE for immunophenotyping and integrin profiling using multicolor flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Expression signatures of eosinophil integrins were further assessed by immunohistochemistry using serial sections of esophageal biopsy specimens. Purified eosinophils were used to assess the effect of EoE-relevant cytokines and recombinant periostin on expression of known eosinophil integrins and eosinophil survival and activation. We found that resting eosinophils express high levels of the β2-pairing integrins αL and αM, and lower levels of α4, α6 and α4β7. The migration of peripheral eosinophils to the esophagus is characterized by the specific induction of αM, and a significant increase in the proportion of αM in high-activity conformation. Periostin, a secreted extracellular matrix protein that is significantly overexpressed in EoE, enhances eosinophil survival, and this effect is mediated by αM interaction. Integrin αM is a specific marker of activated tissue eosinophils in EoE, and promotes eosinophil survival through interactions with periostin. The ability of αMβ2 to mediate eosinophil tissue residency via periostin represents a key mechanism for disease development and a potential therapeutic target in EoE.
['Vimalathas|Praveen|P|', 'Farris|Alexandra|A|', 'Letner|Dorothea|D|', 'Deshpande|Vikram|V|', 'Yajnik|Vijay|V|', 'Shreffler|Wayne|W|', 'Garber|John|J|']
D000328:Adult D039481:CD11b Antigen D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules D002465:Cell Movement D002470:Cell Survival D016207:Cytokines D057765:Eosinophilic Esophagitis D004804:Eosinophils D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D008954:Models, Biological D015854:Up-Regulation D055815:Young Adult
integrin αM Eosinophil survival eosinophilic esophagitis periostin