Elevated Toll-Like Receptor-Induced CXCL8 Secretion in Human Blood Basophils from Allergic Donors Is Independent of Toll-Like Receptor Expression Levels

Markus Steiner; Thomas Hawranek; Michael Schneider; Fatima Ferreira; Jutta Horejs-Hoeck; Andrea Harrer; Martin Himly

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0149275

Elevated Toll-Like Receptor-Induced CXCL8 Secretion in Human Blood Basophils from Allergic Donors Is Independent of Toll-Like Receptor Expression Levels

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 12;11(2):e0149275. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149275. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Markus Steiner^{1

2}, Thomas Hawranek³, Michael Schneider⁴, Fatima Ferreira¹, Jutta Horejs-Hoeck¹, Andrea Harrer^{1

5}, Martin Himly¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
² Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
³ Department of Dermatology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
⁴ Bühlmann Laboratories AG, Schönenbuch, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.

Abstract

Human blood basophils have recently gained interest in addition to their function as allergic effector cells. Previous work suggests the involvement of innate immune mechanisms in the development and exacerbation of allergic responses, which might be mediated by basophils. We assayed the expression levels of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 1, 2, 4 and 6 on purified basophils from birch pollen-, house dust mite-, and non-allergic individuals. Additionally, we compared cytokine and chemokine secretion upon TLR stimulation in these basophil donor groups. Expression of TLR4 on the basophils of the allergic donor groups was decreased and CXCL8 secretion was elevated upon stimulation of TLR1/2 and TLR2/6 compared to the non-allergic donors. Decreased TLR expression and elevated CXCL8 secretion may represent possible mechanisms for aggravation of allergic symptoms in case of parasitic infection.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Basophils / immunology*
Basophils / pathology
Child
Female
Humans
Hypersensitivity / immunology*
Hypersensitivity / pathology
Interleukin-8 / analysis
Interleukin-8 / immunology*
Male
Middle Aged
Toll-Like Receptor 1 / analysis
Toll-Like Receptor 1 / immunology
Toll-Like Receptor 2 / analysis
Toll-Like Receptor 2 / immunology
Toll-Like Receptor 4 / analysis
Toll-Like Receptor 4 / immunology
Toll-Like Receptor 6 / analysis
Toll-Like Receptor 6 / immunology
Toll-Like Receptors / analysis
Toll-Like Receptors / immunology*
Young Adult

Substances

Interleukin-8
Toll-Like Receptor 1
Toll-Like Receptor 2
Toll-Like Receptor 4
Toll-Like Receptor 6
Toll-Like Receptors

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grant P18820-B13 of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). Buehlmann Laboratories AG did not play a role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript and only provided financial support in the form of authors' salaries (Michael Schneider) and/or research materials (stimulation buffer for basophils).