Selective expression of the eotaxin receptor CCR3 by human T helper 2 cells

There is growing evidence that T helper cell subsets (T(H)1 and T(H)2) can be differentially recruited to promote different types of inflammatory reactions. Murine TEl but not T(H)2 cells are recruited through P- and E- selectin into inflamed tissues, where they induce delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. The human eotaxin-receptor CCR3, originally described on eosinophils and basophils, was also found to be expressed by T(H)2 cells. An antibody to CCR3 was used to isolate T cells from peripheral blood that give rise to T(H)2-polarized cell lines and to identify T(H)2 cells derived from native T cells in vitro. Eotaxin stimulated increases in intracellular calcium and chemotaxis of CCR3⁺ T cells. The attraction of T(H)2 cells by eotaxin could represent a key mechanism in allergic reactions, because it promotes the allergen-driven production of interleukin-4 and interleukin-5 necessary to activate basophils and eosinophils.