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The pathobiology of eosinophilic gastroenteritis of childhood: Is it really the eosinophil, allergic mediated, or something else?

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Abstract

Over the past decade clinicians have witnessed a dramatic rise in the prevalence of eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. Diverse symptoms, a broad range of endoscopic findings, and varying histopathologic features pose several questions: Do eosinophils represent an allergic response? What mechanisms drive eosinophils to specific mucosal targets? How do eosinophils affect the gastrointestinal tissues? Recent clinical and basic studies are investigating the pathogenesis of eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. This review highlights the literature concerning the mechanisms that govern these diseases, with a specific focus on diseases of gastrointestinal columnar epithelia (eosinophilic gastroenteritis and eosinophilic colitis). The roles of specific chemokines, such as eotaxin, and the data supporting the involvement of eosinophil granule proteins in disease states, are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Children’s Hospital of Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Hunnewell, Ground Floor, 02115, Boston, MA, USA

    Peter Ngo MD, Glenn Furuta MD & Wesley Burks MD

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  1. Peter Ngo MD
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  2. Glenn Furuta MD
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  3. Wesley Burks MD
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Ngo, P., Furuta, G. & Burks, W. The pathobiology of eosinophilic gastroenteritis of childhood: Is it really the eosinophil, allergic mediated, or something else?. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 6, 436–440 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-004-0064-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-004-0064-8

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