Effects of Aminophylline on expression of Fas mRNA and apoptosis in eosinophils

AIM To investigate the effects of aminophylline (AM) on expression of Fas mRNA and apoptosis in eosinophils(Eos) of bronchalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) in asthmatic guinea pig, and the mechanism of AM promoting Eos apoptosis. METHODS After guinea pigs were stimulated by ovalbumin(OVA) 48 h, hypodense Eos(HEos) and normodense Eos(NEos) were purified from BALF by gradients of percoll. Purified Eos were incubated with different concentration of AM (10 -6 ～10 -3 mol·L -1 ) in RPMI 1640 medium 24 h, the mRNA of Fas in Eos was measured by hybridization and apoptosis was detected by TdT mediated dUTP nick end labeling. RESULT Eos cultured under the condition of AM administration in vitro, apoptotic Eos increased and the expression of Fas mRNA increased in a dose dependent manner. The expression of Fas mRNA was correlated with Eos apoptosis. CONCLUSION AM promote Eos apoptosis and expression of Fas in dose dependent manner in vitro. Fas might be one of mechanism that AM promoting apoptosis of Eos.