Effects of allergen challenge on eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in mild asthma.

Allergen inhalation challenge is associated with increases in eosinophil number and activation, and provides a useful model for investigating airway inflammation in asthma. Limited information, however, is available on the effect of allergen challenge on cytokines regulating eosinophil function. We investigated allergen-induced changes in eosinophil number and activation and in granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a …