Cysteinyl leukotrienes acting via granule membrane-expressed receptors elicit secretion from within cell-free human eosinophil granules.

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) are recognized to act via receptors (cysLTRs) expressed on cell surface plasma membranes. Agents that block cysLT(1) receptor (cysLT(1)R) are therapeutics for allergic disorders. Eosinophils contain multiple preformed proteins stored within their intracellular granules. Cell-free eosinophil granules are present extracellularly as intact membrane-bound organelles in sites associated with eosinophil infiltration, including asthma, rhinitis, and urticaria, but have unknown functional capabilities. We evaluated the expression of cysLTRs on eosinophil granule membranes and their functional roles in eliciting protein secretion from within eosinophil granules. We studied secretory responses of human eosinophil granules isolated by subcellular fractionation. Granules were stimulated with cysLTs, and eosinophil cationic protein and cytokines were measured in the supernatants. Receptor expression on granule membranes and eosinophils was evaluated by flow cytometry and Western blot. We report that receptors for cysLTs, cysLT(1)R, cysLT(2) receptor, and the purinergic P2Y12 receptor, are expressed on eosinophil granule membranes. Leukotriene (LT) C(4) and extracellularly generated LTD(4) and LTE(4) stimulated isolated eosinophil granules to secrete eosinophil cationic protein. MRS 2395, a P2Y12 receptor antagonist, inhibited cysLT-induced eosinophil cationic protein release. Montelukast, likely not solely as an inhibitor of cysLT(1)R, inhibited eosinophil cationic protein release elicited by LTC(4) and LTD(4) as well as by LTE(4). These studies identify previously unrecognized sites of localization, the membranes of intracellular eosinophil granule organelles, and function for cysLT-responsive receptors that mediate cysteinyl leukotriene-stimulated secretion from within eosinophil granules, including those present extracellularly.