Date of Award

12-1994

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biological Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Leonard J. Beuving

Second Advisor

Dr. Cindy Hoorn

Third Advisor

Dr. Charles Mackenzie

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Anthony Manning

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Estrogen causes an influx of eosinophils into the uterus in female rats. The diapedesis of eosinophils out of the vasculature has also been observed in allergic reactions, parasitic infections, and atopic dermatitis, and has been associated with cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs). Antibody blocking studies against ICAM-1/ LFA-1 and VCAM-1/VLA-4 have suggested that both ligand/receptor sets of CAMs are involved in the selective recruitment of eosinophils out of the vasculature. ICAM- 1 is expressed on the vascular endothelium and decreases in expression when IL-4 is introduced. VLA-4 is present on eosinophils and is suspected to allow selective migration of eosinophils out of the blood system. Uterii of immature rats treated with either diethylstilbesterol (DES) or vehicle, were labeled with monoclonal antibodies against ICAM-1 and VLA-4. ICAM-1 expression decreased in DES treated animals and VLA-4 expression was up regulated on eosinophils within the uterus. Estrogens may signal eosinophils to increase VLA-4 expression while signaling uterine vasculature to decrease ICAM-1 expression, enabling selective eosinophil migration.

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Biology Commons

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