# EOSINOPHIL LEUKOCYTES AND ATOPIC DERMATITIS

> **NIH NIH R01** · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · 1989 · $107,575

## Abstract

Current information suggest that eosinophils have, in addition to
anthelminthic properties, a proinflammatory role in disease.  Prior
observations showed extensive deposition of a toxic, cationic
eosinophil granule protein, the major basic protein, in atopic
dermatitis and a relative paucity of intact eosinophils.  These
results indicate that eosinophil degranulation occurs in atopic
dermatitis.  The long-term goal of this proposal is understanding
the role of the eosinophil in atopic dermatitis.  First, the
inflammatory reaction and the mechanisms of the inflammatory
reaction in atopic dermatitis will be studied by:  (a) testing
whether eosinophil granule protein deposition occurs in all the
various morphologic lesions of atopic dermatitis and in all stages
of the disease and whether eosinophil degranulation, as judged by
granule protein deposition in tissue and granule protein elevation
in blood, is associated with disease activity; (b) testing the
hypothesis that eosinophil degranulation occurs through both IgE-
mediated mechanisms and IgE-independent responses including the
study of atopic dermatitis patients with low levels or absent serum
IgE as an "experiment of nature"; and (c) testing whether
neutrophil elastase deposition discriminates between the
inflammatory reaction in atopic dermatitis and the urticarias.
Preliminary studies indicate that neutrophil elastase deposition
is striking in the IgE-mediated late phase reaction and the
physical urticarias but is essentially absent in atopic dermatitis.
Second, because high concentrations of toxic eosinophil granule
proteins are deposited in the skin, the effects of granule proteins
on epithelium and mast cells will be analyzed by:  (a) testing the
effect of eosinophil granule proteins on keratinocyte proliferation
and differentiation, (b) testing the proteins for their ability to
stimulate mast cell histamine release, and (c) testing whether
exposure of mast cells to major basic protein induces synthesis of
this granule protein.  The information derived from these studies
is important for understanding and, thus, for development of new
therapeutic approaches to this vexing disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157432
- **Project number:** 2R01AR036008-04
- **Recipient organization:** MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Y2K4F9RPRRG7
- **Principal Investigator:** KRISTIN M LEIFERMAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $107,575
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1986-04-01 → 1994-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157432

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157432, EOSINOPHIL LEUKOCYTES AND ATOPIC DERMATITIS (2R01AR036008-04). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157432. Licensed CC0.

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