Induction of eotaxin production by interleukin-4, interleukin-13 and lipopolysaccharide by nasal fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that eotaxin is a key mediator in the development of tissue eosinophilia. Fibroblasts are a major source of eotaxin. The severity of diseases with eosinophilic inflammation like nasal polyposis, atopic dermatitis and asthma, where Th2-type cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13) and TGF-beta are expressed locally, was shown to correlate with bacterial factors such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) rather than allergen. OBJECTIVE: We examined eotaxin production by nasal fibroblasts stimulated with IL-4 or IL-13 alone or in combination with LPS, and the effect of TGF-beta(1) on it. Moreover, we compared the magnitude of eotaxin produced by nasal fibroblasts with that produced by lung or skin fibroblasts. METHODS: Fibroblast lines were established from human biopsy tissue. The expression of eotaxin mRNA was evaluated by RT-PCR. The amount of eotaxin in the supernatants was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: IL-4, but not IL-13, synergized with LPS to produce eotaxin in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Sequential treatment of nasal fibroblasts with IL-4 and LPS did not have any effect. But when IL-4 and LPS were added together, synergy for eotaxin production was observed. Moreover, this synergy was observed in nasal and skin fibroblasts, but not in lung fibroblasts. The production of eotaxin by IL-4 and LPS was modulated by TGF-beta(1). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a co-stimulus like LPS is necessary for IL-4 to make a strong induction of eotaxin in eosinophilic inflammations such as nasal polyposis. Modulation by TGF-beta(1) may have important implications for the development of eosinophilic inflammation.

[A morphological study of the kidney in the Japanese fetus with special reference to their external form, size and number of minor calix].

There are few anatomical reports on the fetal kidney than on adult human and animal kidneys. This paper reports the size, weight, ratio of renal hilus, number of minor calix and number of renal lobe in Japanese fetal kidneys. Fifty kidneys of 25 fetuses (3, 8, 8 and 6 bodies in 5, 6, 7 and 8 months, respectively) were used in this study. The length, width, thickness and weight of kidneys were measured, and the renal lobes were counted. The relative size of the hilus was then calculated by the ratio of the area of hilus to that of the medial surface of the kidneys. Latex rubber was injected in the ureters, taken out of the calico-pelvic system from the kidneys, and the number of minor calix in these specimens were counted. There were no significant sex difference and right and left difference in the kidney weight, ratio of renal hilus, number of minor calix and number of lobes. When these kidneys were observed at 5, 6, 7 and 8 months, the kidney weight and ratio of renal hilus were correlated with fetal age, but the numbers of lobe and minor calix were not. Comparing the results mentioned above with those of adult kidneys, it was shown that kidney weight and ratio of renal hilus area to the medial surface area of the kidneys gradually increased from fetus to adult. There was also a significant difference in the number of minor calix between adult and fetal kidneys. There was no correlation between the number of renal lobe and the number of minor calix.