Eosinophils in Chronic Urticaria: Supporting or Leading Actors?

• Main Authors: Riccardo Asero, MD, Massimo Cugno, MD, Alberto Tedeschi, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2009-01-01
• Series: World Allergy Organization Journal
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455119305484

Although their number may be increased in skin lesions, eosinophils have been rather neglected as possible participants to the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria because of the absence of peripheral eosinophilia in patients with this disease. However, recent data suggest a potentially relevant role played by activated eosinophils both in triggering the tissue factor pathway of coagulation cascade and as a source of vascular endothelial growth factor. Such phenomena seem more pronounced in patients showing a more severe disease. The present study will rediscuss the potential role of this cell line in chronic urticaria in the light of these recent observations. Keywords: chronic urticaria, mastcells, eosinophils, VEGF, tissue factor