Plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2) in eosinophilic leukocytes

• DOI: 10.1189/jlb.0304182
• Publication Date: 2004-07-27T00:13:15Z
• Authors: Jonathan M Swartz; Jonas Byström; Kimberly D Dyer; Takeaki Nitto; Thomas A Wynn; Helene F Rosenberg
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Granuloma; Schistosoma mansoni; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; 3. Good health; Eosinophils; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Liver; Bone Marrow; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2; Animals; Humans; Interleukin-5; Ovum

AbstractPlasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2) as a potential eosinophil protein was inferred from our gene microarray study of mouse eosinophilopoiesis. Here, we detect 47 kDa intracellular and ∼60 kDa secretory forms of PAI-2 in purified human eosinophil extracts. PAI-2 is present at variable concentrations in eosinophil lysates, ranging from 30 to 444 ng/106 cells, with a mean of 182 ng/106 cells from 10 normal donors, which is the highest per-cell concentration among all leukocyte subtypes evaluated. Enzymatic assay confirmed that eosinophil-derived PAI-2 is biologically active and inhibits activation of its preferred substrate, urokinase. Immunohistochemical and immunogold staining demonstrated PAI-2 localization in eosinophil-specific granules. Immunoreactive PAI-2 was detected in extracellular deposits in and around the eosinophil-enriched granuloma tissue encapsulating the parasitic egg in livers of wild-type mice infected with the helminthic parasite Schistosoma mansoni. Among the possibilities, we consider a role for eosinophil-derived PAI-2 in inflammation and remodeling associated with parasitic infection as well as allergic airways disease, respiratory virus infection, and host responses to tumors and metastasis in vivo.