CCR3 mRNA expression in bronchial epithelial cells and various cells in allergic inflammation

Background: RANTES and eotaxin are important chemokines involved in the act ivation and migration of eosinophils and are considered to play a major rol e in allergic inflammation. Methods: In this study, we used RT-PCR to inves tigate the kinds of cells that express mRNA for CCR3, a common receptor of these chemokines, and eotaxin, a ligand for CCR3. Results: CCR3 mRNA was ex pressed in eosinophils, peripheral mononuclear cells, an eosinophilic cell line (EoL-1), a bronchial epithelial cell line (NCl-H-292), human endotheli al cells and nasal washings from patients with allergic rhinitis. Conclusio n: These results suggest that the CCR3-eotaxin system plays an important ro le in generating inflammation, since these substances are expressed not onl y in cells implicated in activation or migration of eosinophils but also in various other cells involved in allergic inflammation.