The immune and lymphatic systems, infection and sepsis
Peate Ian, Dutton Helen in Acute Nursing Care, 2020
The main function of basophils (see Figure 12.5) is to promote inflammation, but they are also involved in anaphylactic reactions. Basophils can leave the bloodstream to enter sites of tissue damage; when they do this, they transform into mast cells. Mast cells are found in connective tissue and in the mucosa and release histamine and heparin. Heparin is an anticoagulant and contributes to the inflammatory response, and histamine is a vasoactive amine causing vasodilation of the arteriole/capillary vascular bed and enlargement of the intracellular pores in the capillary membrane. This increases pooling of blood in the area of tissue damage. The systemic vascular resistance is lowered, which manifests as hypotension or low blood pressure if a significant area of capillary bed is affected. In response to this, the patient develops a tachycardia. In anaphylactic reactions, histamine release increases vascular capillary permeability, causing local oedema, which may exacerbate breathing problems and potentially cause obstruction of the airway.
In vitro Testing for Adverse Drug Reactions
Kirsti Kauppinen, Kristiina Alanko, Matti Hannuksela, Howard Maibach in Skin Reactions to Drugs, 2020
Human basophils play an important role in diverse inflammatory processes. They generate de novo leukotriene C4, and the generation can be enhanced in the presence of interleukin-3 both upon IgE-dependent and IgE-independent basophil degranulation.29 A commercial test (by Bühlmann laboratories AG, Allschwil, Switzerland) takes advantage of this release of sulfidoleukotrienes in vitro. Czech et al.30 showed that leukocytes from patients with a pseudo-allergic reaction to acetylsalicylic acid released significantly larger amounts of sulfidoleukotrienes upon stimulation with C5a man leukocytes from controls. Bircher et al.31 showed preliminary results suggesting that patients with anaphylactic reaction to beta-lactam antibiotics could be diagnosed with in vitro release of sulfidoleukotrienes, while patients with milder skin eruptions remained negative in the test.
Biology, Biochemistry and Pathophysiology of the Rantes Chemokine
Richard Horuk in Chemoattractant Ligands and Their Receptors, 2020
At present little has been published on the expression of RANTES in allergic diseases but what has been reported is provocative. Several investigations suggest that expression of RANTES may be important in the induction of the T cell infiltrates and eosinophilia characteristic of allergy. Stellato et al. have demonstrated in vivo RANTES expression by pulmonary epithelial cells.66 In addition, RANTES has been found in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatic individuals at levels higher than that of normals.67 Beck and co-workers demonstrated RANTES expression in the nasal epithelium of patients suffering from nasal polyps, a disease characterized by an eosinophilic infiltrate.68 Basophils and mast cells are also an important component in the allergic response.53 As was described above, RANTES is chemotactic for basophils and causes them to release histamine.20,25,30,58 For all of these reasons, RANTES may prove a novel target in the treatment of allergic diseases.
Allergen immunotherapy: progress and future outlook
Published in Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 2023
Lara Šošić, Marta Paolucci, Stephan Flory, Fadi Jebbawi, Thomas M. Kündig, Pål Johansen
Approximately 1% of all leukocytes in the peripheral blood are basophils. Basophils contain cytoplasmic secretory granules that in allergic patients can degranulate upon allergen binding to surface-bound sIgE and crosslinking of FcεRI [125]. These CD203c-positive basophils can be harvested and stimulated in vitro with the allergen in question, and the expression of surface CD203c and the vesicle-membrane protein CD63 that appears on the cell surface upon degranulation can be measured with flow cytometry [126]. Such basophil activation tests (BATs) are commonly used in diagnostics, especially in drug hypersensitivity reactions [127]. In whole blood, inhibiting factors such as blocking antibodies will affect the readout; hence, depending on the research question, the leukocytes may be isolated or not prior to stimulation. Decreased basophil activation in the whole blood was associated with effective AIT [128,129], but not always [120]. It is postulated that SLIT might affect basophil degranulation less than SCIT and might account for the inconsistent efficacy findings in the SLIT studies [105]. Recently, it was reported that peanut OIT reduced basophil sensitivity [130]. A hurdle for consistent use in clinics might be the handling of live cells needed for BAT, requiring fast transport to the laboratory and immediate analysis.
Eosinophils to Lymphocytes Ratio (ELR) as a Potential Inflammatory Biomarker in Patients with Dual Diagnosis of Bipolar and Alcohol Use Disorders: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Published in Journal of Dual Diagnosis, 2022
Elina Dirani, Rami Bou Khalil, Georges Raad, Sami Richa
The sample for this study included 83 patients diagnosed with AUD. The age median was 36 (28–46) years old. The sample represented a higher frequency of men (n = 51; 61.44%). The majority of all patients were in a couple (n = 43; 51.81%), holding a university degree (n = 59; 71.08%), and either employed and/or occupying a job in the private sector (n = 39; 34.94%). The majority recorded nicotine consumption (n = 62; 74.69%). In addition, n = 53 (63.85%) patients were undergoing an actual major depressive episode and n= 60 (72.28%) had already experienced at least one episode of depression. Moreover, n = 27 (32.53%) had a current anxiety disorder, and n = 24 (28.91%) were at risk of suicide (recent suicide attempt and/or active suicidal thoughts). As for the AUDIT, it indicated a severe consumption in the global sample with a median of 23 (17–29). The BDI-II had a median of 20.5 (12–29.75). The MMSE had a median of 30 (29–30). NLR had a median of 2.07 (1.64–3). PLR had a median of 125.73 (103.92–171.64). MLR had a median of 0.25 (0.19–0.35). Basophils to lymphocytes ratio (BLR) had a median of 0.015 (0.009–0.02). Moreover, the eosinophils to lymphocytes ratio (ELR) had a median of 0.09 (0.05–0.15) (Table 1).
Regulatory T cells do not suppress rather activate human basophils by IL-3 and STAT5-dependent mechanisms
Published in OncoImmunology, 2020
Mrinmoy Das, Emmanuel Stephen-Victor, Jagadeesh Bayry
Basophils are rare granulocytes representing approximately 1% of peripheral blood leukocytes. Basophils are reported to play a role in regulating acquired immunity, particularly by promoting Th2 cell differentiation as well as amplifying humoral memory response.1 Several studies have also uncovered a role for basophils in protective immunity to pathogens. But dysregulated functions of basophils are associated with many pathologies and in particular allergic and inflammatory diseases. Main reason for the exceptional role of basophils in various pathologies despite their low frequency, is the expression of an array of receptors including FcεRI and cytokine receptors that sense signals derived from diverse sources, and immediate release of inflammatory mediators including cytokines (IL-4, IL-13, IL-6, thymic stromal lymphopoietin and B-cell-activating factor), histamine and leukotriene that support hypersensitive and inflammatory responses.1 However, the mechanisms by which basophils are kept in check remains unclear and hence recently we explored if CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells) have the capacity to control the functions of human basophils.