Effect of dexamethasone or theophylline on platelet-activating factor-induced eosinophils

AIM: To elucidate the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on eosinophil activation and the action of dexamethasone or theophylline during this process. METHODS: Eosinophils (EOS) from the peripheral blood of normal subjects were isolated. The hypodense eosinopil (HE) and normodense eosinophil (NE) were studied with electron microscopy. The effects of PAF on eosinophil activation and the action of dexamethasone or theophylline during the above process were measured. RESULTS: Hypodense eosinophil had significantly smaller individual granules than normodense eosinophil had. PAF induced eosinophil peroxidase release, and generated. Eosinophils incubated with 10^-8 mmol/L PAF and 10^-5 mmol/L dexamethasone released (101.17±10.32) mg/L eosinophil peroxidase (P<0.05). Eosinophils incubated with 10^-9 mol/L PAF and 10^-5 mmol/L dexamethasone caused a decrease in eosinophil peroxidase (110.85±4.16) mg/L and induced the generation of hypodense eosinophil (17.87%±2.16%). Eosinophils incubated with 10^-8 mmol/L PAF and 10 mg/L theophylline released (100.53±9.65) mg/L eosinophil peroxidase (P<0.05). Eosinophils incubated with 10^-9 mol/L PAF and 10 mg/L theophylline caused a similar decrease in eosinophil peroxidase (106.94±10.11) mg/L and induced the generation of hypodense eosinophil (14.08%±2.42%). CONCLUSIONS: Eosinophil degranulation is one of the reasons by which hypodense eosinopils develop. PAF induced eosinophil degranulation, so generated hypodense eosinopils. Dexamethasone and theophylline inhibited above effects.