Eosinophil peroxidase signals via epidermal growth factor-2 to induce cell proliferation

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2011 Nov;45(5):946-52. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2010-0454OC. Epub 2011 Mar 31.

Abstract

Eosinophils exert many of their inflammatory effects in allergic disorders through the degranulation and release of intracellular mediators, including a set of cationic granule proteins that include eosinophil peroxidase. Studies suggest that eosinophils are involved in remodeling. In previous studies, we showed that eosinophil granule proteins activate mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. In this study, we investigated the receptor mediating eosinophil peroxidase-induced signaling and downstream effects. Human cholinergic neuroblastoma IMR32 and murine melanoma B16.F10 cultures, real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunoprecipitations, and Western blotting were used in the study. We showed that eosinophil peroxidase caused a sustained increase in both the expression of epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2) and its phosphorylation at tyrosine 1248, with the consequent activation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2. This, in turn, promoted a focal adhesion kinase-dependent egress of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip) from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Eosinophil peroxidase induced a HER2-dependent up-regulation of cell proliferation, indicated by an up-regulation of the nuclear proliferation marker Ki67. This study identifies HER2 as a novel mediator of eosinophil peroxidase signaling. The results show that eosinophil peroxidase, at noncytotoxic levels, can drive cell-cycle progression and proliferation, and contribute to tissue remodeling and cell turnover in airway disease. Because eosinophils are a feature of many cancers, these findings also suggest a role for eosinophils in tumorigenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Active Transport, Cell Nucleus
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / metabolism
  • Eosinophil Peroxidase / metabolism*
  • Eosinophils / metabolism
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System*
  • Mice
  • Phosphorylation

Substances

  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • Eosinophil Peroxidase
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Erbb2 protein, mouse