Eotaxin and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in chronic eosinophilic pneumonia

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is characterized by chronic or recurre nt pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophils, but the precise mechanism of eos inophil accumulation has not been fully elucidated. Eotaxin is one of the C C chemokines that selectively recruits eosinophils and contributes to the p athogenesis of allergic airway diseases including asthma, but its roles in pathogenesis of CEP have not been fully elucidated. The authors measured concentrations of eotaxin and other CC chemokines mono cyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), regulated on activation, normal T-c ell expressed and secreted, macrophage inflammatory protein-la, and the eos inophil activating Th2 cytokine interleukin (IL)-5 in bronchoalveolar lavag e (BAL) fluid from CEP patients (n=11), and compared these concentrations w ith those from control subjects (n=6). The eotaxin (904 +/- 203 versus 29 +/-7 pg.mL(-1), p=0.0001), MCP-1 (194 +/ - 57 versus 15 +/-2 pg.mL(-1), p <0.05), and IL-5 (7.8 +/-2.0 versus 2.7 +/ -0.6 pg.mL(-1), p <6.05) levels,were significantly higher for cases with CE P in comparison to those serving as controls. Proportions of eosinophil and lymphocyte counts were greater in BAL fluid from CEP patients. Eotaxin and IL-5 levels correlated with the proportion of eosinophils in BAL fluid fro m CEP patients. MCP-I correlated with the relative lymphocyte numbers. In short, eotaxin, interleukin-5, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 le vels were higher in the BAL fluid of CEP patients and these levels may cont ribute to eosinophil and lymphocyte recruitment and activation in the airwa ys as found with this disorder.