Constitutive production of IL-4 and IL-10 and stimulated production of IL-8 by normal peripheral blood eosinophils.

To study the capacity and regulation of cytokine production by normal peripheral blood eosinophils, we isolated eosinophils from healthy individuals and stimulated them with immobilized Ig or TNF-alpha, with or without exogenous IL-5. By reverse transcription-PCR, uncultured, freshly isolated eosinophils constitutively expressed mRNA for IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-beta1. Eosinophils stimulated by immobilized secretory IgA, immobilized IgA, immobilized IgG, or TNF-alpha for 3 h expressed mRNA encoding IL-3, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, granulocyte-macrophage CSF, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, and RANTES. The mRNA for IL-2, IL-5, or IFN-gamma was not detected. IL-4 and IL-10 protein, but not IL-8, were measurable in lysates of fresh eosinophils or eosinophils cultured with medium alone for 24 h. Eosinophils incubated with immobilized Ig or TNF-alpha released IL-8 protein into the supernatants. In contrast, IL-4 and IL-10 proteins were not detectable. Soluble secretory IgA immune complexes also induced degranulation, as measured by eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, and IL-8 release, but not IL-4 or IL-10 release, from eosinophils. Release of IL-8 protein and storage of IL-4 and IL-10 proteins were enhanced by exogenous IL-5 and inhibited by a transcription inhibitor, actinomycin D. Degranulation of stored granule proteins was not affected by actinomycin D. Therefore, normal peripheral blood eosinophils can transcribe and synthesize several cytokines, including IL-4, IL-8, and IL-10; some are stored, and some are released. These cytokines may play important roles in modulating immune responses in diseases associated with eosinophils.