嗜碱性粒细胞是人们熟知的一类仅占外周血白细胞总数0.5%的细胞。传统观点认为,嗜碱性粒细胞可通过释放组胺等生物活性物质参与超敏反应,是参与变态反应的一类效应细胞。然而随着研究进展,人们对嗜碱性粒细胞及其功能有了新的认识。其除参与急慢性炎症反应、抗寄生虫免疫,还能通过表达模式识别受体(pattern recognition receptor,PRR)、分泌炎症介质等途径调节固有免疫应答;亦可通过发挥抗原递呈细胞(antigen presenting cell,APC)样功能调节Th2分化,参与免疫记忆调节等途径,调节适应性免疫应答。因而,嗜碱性粒细胞不仅是免疫效应细胞,其更能作为免疫调节细胞参与固有免疫及适应性免疫的调节过程。简述了嗜碱性粒细胞及其免疫调节的研究进展。
Basophilic granulocytes (basophils) represent only about 0.5% of the leukocyte population in peripheral blood. Traditionally, basophils are gaining respect as significant contributors in the pathogenesis underlying hypersensitivity by releasing an array of pre-stored and newly synthesized pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g. histamine) as immune effector cells. However, emerging evidences suggest the immunoregulatory characteristics of basophils, which contribute to the regulation of immune responses by various pathways. In addition to its contribution to acute and chronic inflammatory responses as well as anti-parasite immunity, basophils, meanwhile, are involved in the regulation of innate immune responses by the expression of pattern recognition receptor and the production of inflammatory mediators and play pivotal roles in the modulation of adaptive immune responses by promoting Th2 skewing to foreign antigen exposure through its antigen presenting cell-like function and the regulation of immune memory response. Therefore, basophils tend to have an impressive capacity of modulating immunity, displaying considerable functional in the regulation of innate immune responses and adaptive immune responses. This review describes a brief introduction of basophils and these recent advances in understanding of their roles in immunoregulation.